For the first time since the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, plans to construct new nuclear power plants are being pursued in Japan. Nohzomu Mori, president of Kansai Electric Power, has emphasized that "the time has come to start considering new nuclear power plants and expansions."
According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) on the 19th, Kansai Electric Power plans to review construction of a nuclear power plant at the Mihama nuclear power site in Fukui Prefecture, located in central-western Honshu. Kansai Electric Power plans to explain this proposal to local governments in Fukui Prefecture as early as next week and will begin investigations for the construction of new nuclear power plants.
Kansai Electric Power had pursued plans to build a new nuclear plant to replace the aging Mihama Unit 1 just before the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2010, but this was halted due to the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Units 1 and 2 of the Mihama nuclear power plant have been decided for decommissioning, and now only Unit 3 is operational.
Kansai Electric Power operates 7 nuclear power plants only in Fukui Prefecture, but 5 of those have been in operation for over 40 years. While it is possible for nuclear power plants to operate for more than 60 years in Japan, it takes about 20 years for new construction, indicating that Kansai Electric Power is looking to start new plant construction.
Japan, which had been reducing its reliance on nuclear power since the Great East Japan Earthquake, has now reversed its policy this year to fully utilize nuclear power in the future. The Japanese government has decided to increase the proportion of nuclear power in its energy mix from the current 8.5% to 20% by 2040, and to achieve this goal, it needs to more than double the currently operational nuclear plants.
Japan has also decided to pursue the construction of next-generation nuclear reactors at existing nuclear sites, keeping in mind the utilization of decommissioned nuclear sites. A Kansai Electric Power official noted, "Compared to just after the earthquake, more people are recognizing the value of nuclear power," and added, "Our situation has changed."
Nikkei commented, "The last nuclear power plant built in Japan is Unit 3 of the Tomari Nuclear Power Plant operated by Hokkaido Electric Power, which began operation in 2009," adding that the use of nuclear power, deemed necessary by the government to achieve its decarbonization goals, is set to begin.