Japan intends to make a major push into nuclear power, a sector that has weakened since the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in 2011 but is gaining ground in the face of strong global energy pressures.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced Wednesday that he will reflect on several fronts, including the possible construction of “next-generation nuclear reactors,” which would be a major turning point for Japan.
The Japanese authorities also they intend to extend the useful life of their reactors beyond 60 yearswith the aim of reducing its CO2 emissions, according to the plan announced this Wednesday by the Japanese executive.
Those proposals, which represent a major change from the Japanese government’s policy of not building new nuclear plants, also include restarting a total of 17 reactors by next summer.
The measures were proposed by Kishida during a government meeting on the “Green Transformation” initiative. By the end of the year, concrete actions must be implemented, according to local media.
“Japan must solve its problems for the future while promoting energy transformation,” Kishida said during Wednesday’s meeting.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is studying the development of new-generation nuclear power plants and has previously published a strategy to upgrade active reactors with better safety features by 2030.
The plan would also include extending the maximum life of the reactors so they can operate beyond 60 years, as stricter measures were introduced after the Fukushima disaster and that number was reduced to 40.
However, operating during these additional 20 years will only be possible if a series of safety improvements are made and the reactors undergo the necessary revisions, with the aim that the country increases the percentage of electricity supply that consumes 20% to 22% or 24% through nuclear power.
Regarding the reactivation of nuclear power plants, the Ministry also plans to have a total of 17 nuclear reactors in operation, including 10 already approved to operatein order to better prepare for a possible electricity shortage, especially in the winter months.
Japan has entered a “nuclear blackout” following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, triggered by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
The government and the new atomic energy regulatory authority established stricter safety criteria as a result of this crisis that forced all the country’s plants to suspend their operations until they met the new standards.
However, only a few nuclear reactors received the approval of the authorities to return to operation, out of a total of 42 existing in technical conditions to operate, but that did not pass the new safety standards of the Japanese regulator or were disapproved by the Justice . .
Source: Observadora
