Japan’s government plan to raise nuclear power’s share in electricity generation to 20% has come into question. According to Kyodo, the main reason is the cancellation of plans to restart two units at the Hamaoka nuclear power plant.
Chubu Electric Power halted the restart process for the two reactors after falsified data was uncovered concerning the plant’s earthquake resistance. The company acknowledged that it had provided authorities with inaccurate information about the station’s ability to withstand major earthquakes. As a result, the restart plans were scrapped, and Chubu Electric Power’s management decided to resign.
At the same time, Japan is considering the construction of new nuclear power plants, but guaranteed financing for those projects is still not in place. Kyodo said that under these conditions, additional safety checks may again be required for the two Hamaoka units despite the earlier scandal over falsified testing data.
Otherwise, Japan will have to rely more heavily on thermal power plants. That would also increase the country’s dependence on imports of oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Before the Fukushima-1 nuclear accident, Japan had 54 operating nuclear reactors. The number of reactors with potential for operation, including those under construction, has now fallen to 36, and only 15 of them have passed significantly tightened safety reviews.
In the coming years, many of those reactors will also reach the maximum operating limit of 60 years and are expected to be phased out. So far, only three additional power units have completed the safety checks.
