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Japan Forward
3 days ago
- Business
- Japan Forward
New Nuclear Power Plant a Crucial Step to Energy Security
このページを 日本語 で読む Kansai Electric Power Co (KEPCO) has announced that it will resume on-site geological and other surveys at the Mihama Nuclear Power Station in Fukui Prefecture. This will set the stage for a feasibility study for an innovative light-water nuclear reactor. It would succeed units 1 and 2 of the Mihama facility, which are slated for decommissioning. This is the first instance of taking concrete steps to build new nuclear power plants in Japan since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster. We welcome this as a crucial step to grow Japan's economy and ensure its energy security. KEPCO shut down the Mihama 1 and 2 reactors four years after the Fukushima disaster. That left only Unit 3 in operation. Looking back at its history, KEPCO had already started responding to the aging of units 1 and 2 in 2010. That was a year before the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima accident. At that point, the company had initiated a feasibility study of building a new power reactor at the station. Therefore, this new survey essentially resumes previously launched activities that were suspended following the earthquake. Decommissioning work is underway at Unit 1 of the tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. (©TEPCO) However, these activities are being resumed after a long hiatus. Moreover, since the launch of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, the environment for nuclear power has dramatically changed. KEPCO must take all possible steps to provide clear and detailed explanations to the local community and the general public. Japan once had 54 nuclear power plants. However, now there are only 33. Of those, only 14 have been restarted since the earthquake. As the international security environment becomes more uncertain, it is imperative that Japan maintain stable supplies of nuclear energy. However, we can hardly claim that the public understands the need for generating nuclear power. Thermal power generation carries increasing risks associated with procuring the required fossil fuels. Yet, currently, thermal power accounts for 70% of Japan's energy mix. Moreover, expanded application of artificial intelligence and the relaunch of the semiconductor industry will rapidly increase electricity demand. Rapidus' next-generation semiconductor factory IIM-1 in Chitose City, Hokkaido will require a steady power supply. July 18 (©Sankei by Takahiro Sakamoto) In February, the Ishiba Cabinet approved the Seventh Basic Energy Plan. It deleted the previous version's statement that "we will reduce our dependence on nuclear power as much as possible." Furthermore, it added a clear statement that concrete measures would be taken to replace nuclear power plants earmarked for decommissioning with next-generation innovative reactors. Thus, KEPCO's efforts to rebuild are in line with national policy. Hokkaido Electric Power's Tomari Unit 3 was the last new nuclear power plant built in Japan. It went online 16 years ago. That was just before the earthquake when the light turned red on the continuation of Japan's world-renowned nuclear technology. Since then, construction has been frozen. It generally takes decades to complete the construction of new nuclear power plants. Support from the national government will also be essential at key stages. Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
Asahi Shimbun
23-07-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
EDITORIAL: Time to call it a day on policy of dependence on nuclear energy
The three reactors of the Mihama nuclear plant operated by Kansai Electric Power Co. (Asahi Shimbun file photo) Having experienced a major nuclear accident, should Japan continue to depend on nuclear energy for decades to come? A grim future lies in store if fundamental issues such as safety measures and processing of radioactive waste, along with a detailed examination of social costs, are placed to the side and construction of a new nuclear plant is allowed to proceed. Unbridled promotion of nuclear energy must not be allowed. Kansai Electric Power Co. has announced it will conduct research into constructing an advanced reactor at its Mihama nuclear plant in Fukui Prefecture. This is the first solid plan for a new nuclear plant in Japan since the catastrophic triple meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in 2011. If construction goes ahead, the new facility will likely operate for decades. In 2022, the government reversed course on nuclear energy and called for maximum usage. It emphasized the benefits of nuclear energy, citing moves toward a carbon-neutral future and the need for a stable energy supply. The government worked with the major utilities to create an environment to allow for future construction. But many doubts remain. Kansai Electric depends on nuclear energy for close to half of its electric power generation while the ratio taken up by solar and wind power is minimal. The cost of renewable energy has come down, which represents another plus for energy self-sufficiency. Having pledged to promote investment in green energy, Kansai Electric must redouble its efforts in that regard. Its plan highlights an issue that cannot be dealt with by a single company. Kansai Electric's nuclear plants are concentrated along the coast of Wakasa Bay, which experts say poses significant risks in the event of an accident. The Fukui prefectural government has requested that the interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel that will be needed be built outside the prefecture, but no candidate site has emerged. The government's nuclear fuel recycling program has proved to be a major disappointment and there is no indication of how final processing of nuclear waste will be accomplished. There are also strong concerns about profitability. In recent years, there have been several examples in the West of construction costs for nuclear plants ballooning way over initial estimates. The government has a system to provide utilities with stable revenue so it can recover its investment in such mammoth projects. It also plans to provide more support if construction costs exceed initial estimates. The funds for that will be tacked onto electric bills, meaning consumers will shoulder the risks on behalf of the plant operator. Such generous support will require a greater financial burden by the public. Kansai Electric and the government have a shared responsibility to squarely respond to these and other concerns and offer measures to resolve them. One reason given by the government and the electric power industry for promoting nuclear energy is the expected increase in electricity demand due to the construction of data centers for cyberspace. But experts differ considerably in their forecasts. Competition to develop energy-conserving technology has also intensified. The switch in nuclear energy policy came within a few months of discussions within a forum dominated by proponents of nuclear energy. Any such discussions must be held in an open setting as this issue affects everyone. Since the nuclear disaster 14 years ago, The Asahi Shimbun has campaigned for a society that does not depend on nuclear energy, even if it takes many years. That would mean gradually stopping operations of the older nuclear plants and not constructing new ones. The push for energy-saving measures and renewable energy sources must be thoroughly expanded while keeping an eye on a carbon-neutral future and stable energy supply. The future course of the nation must not be mistaken. --The Asahi Shimbun, July 23
Bloomberg
22-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Japan Looks at Building First Atomic Reactor Since Fukushima
Kansai Electric Power Co. is looking into a plan to build Japan's first nuclear reactor since the country soured on the technology following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, the regional utility confirmed. The company will resume surveys for a potential new reactor at the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui prefecture west of Tokyo, it said in a statement on Tuesday.
Japan Today
20-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Kansai Electric eyes construction of new nuclear plant
Kansai Electric Power Co plans to launch a geological study in preparation for the construction of a nuclear power plant, sources familiar with the matter said. If realized, it would be the country's first nuclear plant since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The power company serving the greater Osaka region is looking to carry out the survey on the premises of the Mihama nuclear power station in Fukui Prefecture, the sources said. The utility will brief the town of Mihama on the plan possibly next week, according to the sources. As demand for electricity in Japan is expected to increase in the future, the government, as well as the power industry, has been discussing the need for a new or expanded facility to ensure a stable power supply. For the construction of a nuclear plant, numerous steps would be required following a geological survey, with Kansai Electric needing to draw up a basic design and submit it to the Nuclear Regulation Authority for approval before it could begin construction work. Whether the local community accepts the project will also be an essential part of the whole procedure. Currently, the only nuclear reactor in operation at the Mihama station is the No. 3 unit, while the other two units are set to be decommissioned. In 2010, Kansai Electric announced a plan to replace an aging reactor at the power station and started a survey, but the process was halted due to the nuclear disaster triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan the following year. © KYODO
Japan Today
06-06-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Japan extends life of nuclear reactors beyond 60 years
A law enabling nuclear reactors in Japan to operate beyond 60 years took effect Friday, scrapping a limit imposed after the Fukushima crisis, with the government viewing the power source as vital to the country's energy mix. Under the new system, the life of a reactor will, in principle, be extended beyond 60 years by no longer including offline periods for safety reviews or suspensions ordered by courts that are not due to the inappropriate actions of an operator. The law replaces rules allowing the operation of reactors for up to 40 years, with extensions up to 60 years possible if approved by regulators. The rules were introduced in 2013 following the Fukushima nuclear disaster that was triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. The legislation was enacted in 2023 after the government led by then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shifted from the previous policy of reducing reliance on nuclear power, saying in 2022 that the country will fully utilize nuclear plants to cut carbon dioxide emissions and realize a stable energy supply amid Russia's war in Ukraine. The No. 1 reactor at Kansai Electric Power Co's Takahama nuclear plant, the country's oldest unit that began operating in November 1974, could be granted permission to continue for 72 years as it was offline for about 12 years due to a safety assessment by the Nuclear Regulation Authority and other reasons. The offline periods to be exempted from total service life do not include suspensions due to inappropriate actions by operators, such as when Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc was slapped with an effective ban on operating the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata Prefecture for insufficient antiterrorism measures. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will assess the extension periods of nuclear reactors beyond 60 years. The law also stipulates that operators of nuclear plants that have been running for 30 years or more must compile long-term plans for facility management at least every 10 years and obtain approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority. The regulator will assess the soundness of nuclear reactors and the concrete used in such facilities as well as the feasibility of operators' plans to address parts shortages. © KYODO
