nuclear-news

The ministry made the retraction in February in response to backlash from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, which is supervising the electric power industry, several sources of the two ministries said.

At the time, the economy ministry was proceeding with a revision of the government’s basic energy plan.

It apparently feared that the trial calculation could influence discussions on the future ratio of nuclear power generation, the sources added.

“We didn’t put pressure (on the Environment Ministry),” an economy ministry official said.

However, an Environment Ministry official said, “We couldn’t help but retract (the original trial calculation).”

After the retraction, the contents of the basic energy plan were decided as had been worked out by the economy ministry and were approved in a Cabinet meeting in July.

The Abe administration regards nuclear power generation as “an important baseload electric source” and is promoting the restarts of nuclear reactors.

Under the policy, the economy ministry has apparently adopted a stance of concealing data that is inconvenient for the administration.

The Asahi Shimbun obtained the trial calculation, which was shown to the economy ministry by the Environment Ministry.

According to the estimate, the ratio of nuclear power generation to Japan’s total electricity generation will be 21 percent in fiscal 2030 in accordance with the Abe administration’s policies.

The ratio will decrease to 11 to 12 percent in fiscal 2040 and to 7 to 9 percent in fiscal 2050.

In addition, the ratio of renewable energies will increase to 57 to 66 percent in fiscal 2040 and further to 72 to 80 percent in fiscal 2050.

The Environment Ministry compiled the trial calculation by setting up a team with Mitsubishi Research Institute Inc. and experts to examine measures to reduce greenhouse gases.

In the trial calculation, the team assumed that renewable energies will be introduced as much as possible.

The Asahi Shimbun obtained the trial calculation, which was shown to the economy ministry by the Environment Ministry.

According to the estimate, the ratio of nuclear power generation to Japan’s total electricity generation will be 21 percent in fiscal 2030 in accordance with the Abe administration’s policies.

The ratio will decrease to 11 to 12 percent in fiscal 2040 and to 7 to 9 percent in fiscal 2050.

In addition, the ratio of renewable energies will increase to 57 to 66 percent in fiscal 2040 and further to 72 to 80 percent in fiscal 2050.

The Environment Ministry compiled the trial calculation by setting up a team with Mitsubishi Research Institute Inc. and experts to examine measures to reduce greenhouse gases……….http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201809240032.html