Kepco to build Japan's first new nuclear reactor since Fukushima meltdown
'From today onward, we will be proceeding with offering explanations to local residents and others in preparation for the geological survey,' Kepco President Nozomu Mori said at a news conference on Tuesday.
'In our resource-poor country, it is important for nuclear power to continue to play a role in the future' from the standpoint of safety, energy security, economic efficiency and the environment, he said.
Kepco began a feasibility assessment for a new reactor at the end of 2010, but it was suspended in the aftermath of the meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima plant following the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
The company will conduct geological surveys on the grounds of its Mihama plant to assess the feasibility of building a new reactor under new safety guidelines that were implemented following the 2011 earthquake. If the ground is deemed to be acceptable, the company will submit an application to the Nuclear Regulation Authority to begin construction.
At the Mihara plant, the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors are set to be decommissioned, with only the No. 3 reactor currently in operation. Next year, however, the No. 3 unit is set to reach its 50th year since the start of its operation; the number of years set for usage is generally 40.
Kepco's plan for a new reactor comes after the government adopted the Seventh Strategic Energy Plan in February, which — contrary to the post-Fukushima accident stance to reduce the nation's dependence on nuclear energy — declared policies to maximize the use of nuclear power. The energy policy also outlined plans on developing next-generation reactors that are said to be safer than traditional ones.
During the news conference, Mori said that especially given the growth of data centers and the semiconductor industry, the country's power needs would only continue to grow.
Mori said his lesson from the Fukushima accident was to 'prioritize safety over all else' in the operation of the reactors.
'I understand that there are those who are cautious about nuclear energy ... but we will continue to work to improve the safety of nuclear power,' he said. 'This means not only complying with regulations, but also continuing to improve safety on a voluntary basis, and accumulating the results of safe operation one day at a time.'
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