Latest news with #HokkaidoElectricPowerCo.
The Mainichi
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Mainichi
Survey to start for 1st new nuclear reactor since Fukushima disaster
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Kansai Electric Power Co. said Tuesday that it plans to begin a geological survey to replace a nuclear reactor on the premises of its Mihama nuclear power plant on the Sea of Japan coast, in what would be the first new reactor since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Currently, the No. 3 unit is the only reactor in operation at the Mihama station in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, while the other two units are set to be decommissioned. No new reactor has been built in Japan since the building of the No. 3 unit at Hokkaido Electric Power Co.'s Tomari plant. The unit began operation in 2009. "We will conduct (the survey) while explaining to and seeking the cooperation of local residents," Kansai Electric President Nozomu Mori said at a press conference in Osaka. A senior official of Kansai Electric also visited the Fukui prefectural office, where he met Fukui Vice Gov. Yasuhiro Nakamura, who urged the utility to "carefully explain" its plan to local residents. The town of Mihama welcomed the decision, with an assembly member and urging that the reactor be built as soon as possible. Yuki Sakimoto, a managing director at a construction company in Mihama, said that while his firm does not receive orders related to nuclear power plants, he sees benefits to hosting one, including improvements in road infrastructure. "Since there are no other industries, (the town would) financially collapse without a nuclear power plant," Sakimoto said. Meanwhile, town assembly member Takeshi Komoto said it is "unthinkable to build a new" reactor while issues such as nuclear waste remain unresolved. 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. Public sentiment turned sour over the use of nuclear power as a national source of energy following the disaster, prompting the government to repeatedly say it was not considering building new reactors or replacing existing ones. But with demand for electricity in Japan expected to increase in the future, the government and power industry have been discussing the need for a new or expanded facility to ensure a stable power supply. The government signaled a return to nuclear energy in its revised basic energy plan released in February. Due to the strict safety standards introduced by the Nuclear Regulation Authority following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, the planned survey will likely have to begin from scratch. If the site is deemed suitable, Kansai Electric will need to draw up a basic design and submit it to regulators for approval before commencing construction work. The government is promoting the replacement of aging reactors with next-generation models that are deemed safer. Kansai Electric is collaborating with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and others to develop an advanced light-water reactor that is designed to be more resilient to natural disasters and terrorist attacks.
Japan Today
22-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Survey to start for 1st new nuclear reactor since Fukushima disaster
Kansai Electric Power Co. said Tuesday that it plans to begin a geological survey to replace a nuclear reactor on the premises of its Mihama nuclear power plant on the Sea of Japan coast, in what would be the first new reactor since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Currently, the No. 3 unit is the only reactor in operation at the Mihama station in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, while the other two units are set to be decommissioned. No new reactor has been built in Japan since the building of the No. 3 unit at Hokkaido Electric Power Co.'s Tomari plant. The unit began operation in 2009. "We will conduct (the survey) while explaining to and seeking the cooperation of local residents," Kansai Electric President Nozomu Mori said at a press conference in Osaka. A senior official of Kansai Electric also visited the Fukui prefectural office, where he met Fukui Vice Gov. Yasuhiro Nakamura, who urged the utility to "carefully explain" its plan to local residents. The town of Mihama welcomed the decision, with an assembly member and urging that the reactor be built as soon as possible. Yuki Sakimoto, a managing director at a construction company in Mihama, said that while his firm does not receive orders related to nuclear power plants, he sees benefits to hosting one, including improvements in road infrastructure. "Since there are no other industries, (the town would) financially collapse without a nuclear power plant," Sakimoto said. Meanwhile, town assembly member Takeshi Komoto said it is "unthinkable to build a new" reactor while issues such as nuclear waste remain unresolved. 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. Public sentiment turned sour over the use of nuclear power as a national source of energy following the disaster, prompting the government to repeatedly say it was not considering building new reactors or replacing existing ones. But with demand for electricity in Japan expected to increase in the future, the government and power industry have been discussing the need for a new or expanded facility to ensure a stable power supply. The government signaled a return to nuclear energy in its revised basic energy plan released in February. Due to the strict safety standards introduced by the Nuclear Regulation Authority following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, the planned survey will likely have to begin from scratch. If the site is deemed suitable, Kansai Electric will need to draw up a basic design and submit it to regulators for approval before commencing construction work. The government is promoting the replacement of aging reactors with next-generation models that are deemed safer. Kansai Electric is collaborating with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and others to develop an advanced light-water reactor that is designed to be more resilient to natural disasters and terrorist attacks. © KYODO
Kyodo News
22-07-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Survey to start for 1st new nuclear reactor since Fukushima disaster
OSAKA - Kansai Electric Power Co. said Tuesday it plans to begin a geological survey to replace a nuclear reactor on the premises of its Mihama nuclear power plant on the Sea of Japan coast, in what would be the first new reactor since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Currently, the No. 3 unit is the only reactor in operation at the Mihama station in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, while the other two units are set to be decommissioned. No new reactor has been built in Japan since the building of the No. 3 unit at Hokkaido Electric Power Co.'s Tomari plant. The unit began operation in 2009. "We will conduct (the survey) while explaining to and seeking the cooperation of local residents," Kansai Electric President Nozomu Mori said at a press conference in Osaka. 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. Public sentiment turned sour over the use of nuclear power as a national source of energy following the disaster, prompting the government to repeatedly say it was not considering building new reactors or replacing existing ones. But with demand for electricity in Japan expected to increase in the future, the government and power industry have been discussing the need for a new or expanded facility to ensure a stable power supply. The government signaled a return to nuclear energy in its revised basic energy plan released in February. Due to strict safety standards introduced by the Nuclear Regulation Authority following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, the planned survey will likely begin from scratch. If the site is deemed suitable, Kansai Electric will need to draw up a basic design and submit it to regulators for approval before it can begin construction work. The government is promoting the replacement of aging reactors with next-generation models that are deemed safer. Kansai Electric is collaborating with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and others to develop an advanced light-water reactor that is designed to be more resilient to natural disasters and terrorist attacks.
The Mainichi
22-07-2025
- Science
- The Mainichi
Japan's Kansai Electric to start survey to replace nuclear reactor
OSAKA (Kyodo) -- Kansai Electric Power Co. said Tuesday it plans to begin a geological survey to replace a nuclear reactor on the premises of its Mihama nuclear power plant on the Sea of Japan coast, in what would be the first new reactor since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. No new reactor construction has taken place since the building of the No. 3 unit at Hokkaido Electric Power Co.'s Tomari plant. The unit began operation in 2009.
Yomiuri Shimbun
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
‘Approval' of Tomari nuclear power plant: Early restart will support industry
A stable supply of inexpensive electricity is important not only for household finances but also from the perspective of industrial competitiveness. The restart of nuclear power plants that have been shut down in various locations should be expedited. The Nuclear Regulation Authority has acknowledged that the No. 3 reactor of the Tomari nuclear power plant, which is operated by Hokkaido Electric Power Co., has effectively passed the NRA's safety screening. The power company aims to restart the reactor in 2027, and it is expected to significantly improve the region's power supply capacity. The Tomari plant had supplied about 40% of the electricity consumed in Hokkaido, but it was shut down in May 2012 following the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. Currently, Hokkaido relies on thermal power generation for about 80% of its electricity, creating an unbalanced power structure. Hokkaido Electric has reinforced its facilities, including with the use of emergency generators and pump trucks, in order to comply with new regulatory standards established after the accident. A 19-meter-high seawall is also under construction. It is hoped that every possible measure will be taken to ensure safety. Hokkaido's electricity demand was once expected to continue to fall due to the declining population and advances in energy-saving technologies. However, in recent years, there have been a series of plans to build semiconductor factories and data centers, and there are now concerns that there will be a power shortage. Rapidus Corp., a domestic manufacturer of cutting-edge semiconductors, will begin mass production at its factory in Chitose, Hokkaido, in 2027. SoftBank Corp. will build a new data center in Tomakomai in the prefecture. Given these increases in demand, the restart of the Tomari plant, including the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors, which are currently undergoing safety screenings, is essential. In July 2013, Hokkaido Electric applied for the safety screening to restart the Tomari plant shortly after it was shut down. However, the screening was prolonged due to uncertainty over the existence of active faults on the site, resulting in it taking nearly 12 years. During that time, the 2018 Hokkaido earthquake, which hit the prefecture's eastern Iburi region, caused a large thermal power plant to shut down, resulting in a power outage across the entire prefecture. Russia's aggression against Ukraine has led to a global surge in prices of liquefied natural gas, which is used as fuel for thermal power generation. Electricity rates tend to be cheaper in areas where nuclear power plants have already resumed operations, creating a disparity with areas where operations have not resumed. If the Tomari plant resumes operations, electricity rates are likely to decrease in the future. Restarting nuclear power plants will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and help combat global warming. Furthermore, it will meet the security demands for securing energy needed domestically. In the case of the Tomari plant, the screening process took a long time. While preventing serious accidents is obviously important, the disadvantages of keeping nuclear power plants shut down are also significant. Improving the efficiency of safety screenings and shortening the screening period are also important issues. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 1, 2025)
