nuclear-news

Setback for Japan’s Nuclear Revival as Reactor Restart Delayed

Shoko Oda, Bloomberg News, 9 Jan 24,  https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/setback-for-japan-s-nuclear-revival-as-reactor-restart-delayed-1.2019978

Japanese utility Tohoku Electric Power Co. has delayed the restart of a key nuclear power plant by several months, a setback to the nation’s climate goals and efforts to become more self-sufficient in energy.

The company said Wednesday that it needs more time to fireproof electric cables at its Onagawa No. 2 reactor, as part of safety work which it had planned to finish by next month. It had earlier expected to resume commercial operation of the unit around May and said it would publish an updated safety work and restart schedule later. 

The Japanese government is doubling down on the use of nuclear in an effort to curb costly imports of fossil fuels, achieve energy security and cut emissions. The restart of Onagawa No. 2 is especially symbolic as it would be the first unit in the east of the nation to restart since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

Japan currently has 33 commercially available reactors, and has restarted 12 units in the western part of the country since the Fukushima tragedy. Tohoku had in September also pushed back the completion of safety work, leading to a drop in its shares. The utility fell as much as 2.9% on Wednesday.

January 12, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, politics