Japan Nuclear Industry on the Defensive

METI proposed that TEPCO would start a subsidiary to manage all its nuclear plants. Saying it would facilitate restarting the reactors at the Kashiwazaki Kariwa NPP, as since the beginning of the Tepco-owned Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster the government planned to use profits from the Tepco-owned Kashiwazaki-Kariwa NPP to finance the Fukushima Daiichi disaster costs;  and that it would also encourage collaboration among other utilities nuclear power plants, and make merger or sale easier. METI thinks such change would also encourage the public to support nuclear reactors restarting.

As the total decommissionning costs could double, Tepco would also like the rules to be changed so as not take an added large loss on their books.

One day later Hitachi announced that they consider merging their nuclear business with Toshiba and Mistubishi.

These recent new developments show Japan nuclear industry on the defensive, former PM Koizumi warned the Liberal Democratic Party could lose the next election if it focuses on the nuclear power issue.

https://dunrenard.wordpress.com/2016/10/29/industry-ministry-unveils-plan-to-split-nuclear-power-division-from-tepco/

October 30, 2016 - Posted by dunrenard | Japan | Fukushima Daiichi, Hitachi, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa NPP, Mitsubishi, Nuclear Industry, Tepco, Toshiba, Utilities