Latest news with #reactor
Japan Times
4 hours ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Kepco to build Japan's first new nuclear reactor since Fukushima meltdown
Kansai Electric Power Co. (Kepco) will begin the process of building a next-generation reactor at its Mihama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture, the first new reactor in Japan since the 2011 meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. '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.'
Reuters
6 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Kansai Electric to start surveys for new nuclear power reactor in Mihama
TOKYO, July 22 (Reuters) - Kansai Electric Power (9503.T), opens new tab will begin surveys for the construction of a new nuclear power reactor at its Mihama power station in Fukui prefecture, western Japan, to replace the existing facility, the company said on Tuesday. The decision marks Japan's first concrete step towards building a new nuclear reactor since the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 triggered a meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power's <9501.T> Fukushima plant, leading it to be shut down. Japan remains heavily dependent on fossil fuel imports, and the government wants nuclear power to contribute more to the country's energy security. Kansai Electric is currently Japan's biggest nuclear operator based on the number of reactors online. The surveys would focus on topography, geology and other studies and would include communications with local residents, the company said. "Given overall cost performance, plant operation, and compliance with new regulations, we consider the SRZ-1200 advanced light water reactor the most realistic option," Hiroaki Kitaura, a chief manager of Kansai's nuclear power division, told a briefing. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T), opens new tab is working with four utilities, including Kansai Electric and Hokkaido Electric Power (9509.T), opens new tab, on the basic design of the reactor type. Kansai Electric provided no construction cost estimate, but Kitaura said funds will be raised through bonds, loans, and other means as appropriate, adding that no equity issuance was currently being planned. The company had been analysing a successor to the Mihama No.1 reactor since November 2010, but suspended the study after the 2011 disaster. In 2015, it decided to decommission the No.1 and No.2 reactors at Mihama. "With a significant loss of nuclear power supply expected, it is necessary to rebuild with next-generation reactors, based on the premise of ensuring safety and gaining local understanding, to secure decarbonised power sources," Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto said on Tuesday. Japan currently operates over a dozen reactors, with a combined capacity of around 12 gigawatts. Many are undergoing relicencing to meet stricter safety standards implemented after the Fukushima disaster. Before 2011, Japan operated 54 reactors.
CNA
6 hours ago
- Business
- CNA
Kansai Electric to start surveys for new nuclear power reactor in Mihama
TOKYO :Kansai Electric Power will begin surveys for the construction of a new nuclear power reactor at its Mihama power station in Fukui prefecture, western Japan, to replace the existing facility, the company said on Tuesday. The decision marks Japan's first concrete step towards building a new nuclear reactor since the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 triggered a meltdown at Tokyo Electric Power's <9501.T> Fukushima plant, leading it to be shut down. Japan remains heavily dependent on fossil fuel imports, and the government wants nuclear power to contribute more to the country's energy security. Kansai Electric is currently Japan's biggest nuclear operator based on the number of reactors online. The surveys would focus on topography, geology and other studies and would include communications with local residents, the company said. "Given overall cost performance, plant operation, and compliance with new regulations, we consider the SRZ-1200 advanced light water reactor the most realistic option," Hiroaki Kitaura, a chief manager of Kansai's nuclear power division, told a briefing. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is working with four utilities, including Kansai Electric and Hokkaido Electric Power , on the basic design of the reactor type. Kansai Electric provided no construction cost estimate, but Kitaura said funds will be raised through bonds, loans, and other means as appropriate, adding that no equity issuance was currently being planned. The company had been analysing a successor to the Mihama No.1 reactor since November 2010, but suspended the study after the 2011 disaster. In 2015, it decided to decommission the No.1 and No.2 reactors at Mihama. "With a significant loss of nuclear power supply expected, it is necessary to rebuild with next-generation reactors, based on the premise of ensuring safety and gaining local understanding, to secure decarbonised power sources," Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yoji Muto said on Tuesday. Japan currently operates over a dozen reactors, with a combined capacity of around 12 gigawatts. Many are undergoing relicencing to meet stricter safety standards implemented after the Fukushima disaster. Before 2011, Japan operated 54 reactors.
Bloomberg
7 hours ago
- 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.
NHK
7 hours ago
- Business
- NHK
Kansai Electric to restart surveys on building new reactor
The operator of a nuclear power plant in central Japan says it will resume onsite surveys toward constructing a next-generation reactor within the facility. If built, it would be the first new reactor in Japan since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident. Kansai Electric Power Company on Tuesday announced the plan for geological and other studies at the Mihama plant in Fukui Prefecture on the Sea of Japan coast. Mori Nozomu, president of Kansai Electric says, "We will seek the understanding of local communities and continue to promote the nuclear power-generation business." In 2010, Kansai Electric started surveys toward replacing an aging reactor at the plant. But they were suspended after the Fukushima Daiichi crisis the following year. Two reactors at Mihama were decommissioned in 2015. The utility's move to restart surveys comes as the government approved a new basic energy plan earlier this year that calls for maximum use of nuclear power alongside renewables. The government had been trying to reduce dependence on nuclear energy after the 2011 accident. A geological survey is the first step for the construction of a new reactor. But Kansai Electric says it will not decide whether to proceed based solely on the results of the studies.
