関西電力美浜発電所。手前から1号機2号機3号機＝福井県美浜町（産経新聞本社ヘリから）
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Kansai Electric Power Co (KEPCO) has announced that it will resume on-site geological and other surveys at the Mihama Nuclear Power Station in Fukui Prefecture. This will set the stage for a feasibility study for an innovative light-water nuclear reactor. It would succeed units 1 and 2 of the Mihama facility, which are slated for decommissioning.
This is the first instance of taking concrete steps to build new nuclear power plants in Japan since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster.
We welcome this as a crucial step to grow Japan's economy and ensure its energy security.
Current Status
KEPCO shut down the Mihama 1 and 2 reactors four years after the Fukushima disaster. That left only Unit 3 in operation.
Looking back at its history, KEPCO had already started responding to the aging of units 1 and 2 in 2010. That was a year before the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Fukushima accident. At that point, the company had initiated a feasibility study of building a new power reactor at the station. Therefore, this new survey essentially resumes previously launched activities that were suspended following the earthquake.
However, these activities are being resumed after a long hiatus. Moreover, since the launch of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, the environment for nuclear power has dramatically changed. KEPCO must take all possible steps to provide clear and detailed explanations to the local community and the general public.
Overcoming the Great East Japan Earthquake
Japan once had 54 nuclear power plants. However, now there are only 33. Of those, only 14 have been restarted since the earthquake.
As the international security environment becomes more uncertain, it is imperative that Japan maintain stable supplies of nuclear energy. However, we can hardly claim that the public understands the need for generating nuclear power.
Thermal power generation carries increasing risks associated with procuring the required fossil fuels. Yet, currently, thermal power accounts for 70% of Japan's energy mix. Moreover, expanded application of artificial intelligence and the relaunch of the semiconductor industry will rapidly increase electricity demand.
In February, the Ishiba Cabinet approved the Seventh Basic Energy Plan. It deleted the previous version's statement that "we will reduce our dependence on nuclear power as much as possible." Furthermore, it added a clear statement that concrete measures would be taken to replace nuclear power plants earmarked for decommissioning with next-generation innovative reactors.
Thus, KEPCO's efforts to rebuild are in line with national policy.
Decades to Economic Security
Hokkaido Electric Power's Tomari Unit 3 was the last new nuclear power plant built in Japan. It went online 16 years ago. That was just before the earthquake when the light turned red on the continuation of Japan's world-renowned nuclear technology. Since then, construction has been frozen.
It generally takes decades to complete the construction of new nuclear power plants. Support from the national government will also be essential at key stages.
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Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
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