Japan remains strongly dependent on fossil fuel imports, and the government wants nuclear energy to contribute more to the country’s energy safety
Kansai Electric Power will start surveys to build a new nuclear reactor at its Mihama Center in Fukui City Hall, western Japan, to replace the existing installation, the company said on Tuesday.
The decision marks Japan’s first concrete step to build a new nuclear reactor since the great East Earthquake of Japan in 2011 caused a melting at Tokyo Electric Power Fukushima Center, leading to its closing.
Japan remains strongly dependent on fossil fuel imports and the government wants nuclear energy to contribute more to the country’s energy safety. Kansai Electric is currently the largest nuclear operator in Japan in terms of number of reactors in operation.
Surveys will focus on topography, geology and other studies, including communication with local residents, says the company.
“Considering the overall performance in terms of costs, operation of the center and compliance with new regulations, we consider the Advanced SRZ-1200 Advanced Water Reactor the most realistic option,” said Hiroaki Kitaura, chief manager of Kansai’s nuclear power division at a press conference.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is working with four public service companies, including Kansai Electric and Hokkaido Electric Power, in the basic reactor project.
Kansai Electric has not provided a construction cost estimate, but Kitaura said funds will be raised through obligations, loans and other appropriate means, adding that no action issuance is currently planned.
The company had been analyzing a successor to the Mihama reactor no.1 since November 2010, but suspended the study after the 2011 disaster. In 2015, it decided to disable reactors No..1 and No.2 of Mihama.
“With a significant loss in the provision of predicted nuclear energy, it is necessary to rebuild with next-generation reactors, based on the assumption of ensuring local security and obtaining discharged energy sources,” said Japan Economics, Commerce and Industry, Yoji Muto, on Tuesday.
Japan currently operates more than a dozen reactors, with a combined capacity of about 12 gigawatts. Many are undergoing license renewals to comply with more rigorous security standards implemented after the Fukushima disaster. Before 2011, Japan operated 54 reactors.
