28 July, 2021
METI’s Committee Shows Rough Draft of Next Strategic Energy Plan
On July 21, a rough draft of Japan’s next Strategic Energy Plan was presented at the Strategic Policy Committee, under the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy. Because 3 years have passed since the current plan was issued, the Japanese government has been addressing its revision since last fall. The policy committee is chaired by Takashi Shiraishi, chancellor of the Prefectural University of Kumamoto.
At the start of the meeting, Minister Hiroshi Kajiyama, head of Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said, “Given Japan’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, along with the new target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 46% from 2013 levels by the year 2030, efforts are very important in the energy field, in which greenhouse gas emissions account for more than 80% of total emissions.” He asked the policy committee to deepen its deliberations based on the draft.
From the dual perspectives of responding to climate change and overcoming issues in Japan’s energy supply-and-demand structure, the draft of the new Strategic Energy Plan primarily focuses on three areas:
The decade since the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi.
Issues and actions toward realizing carbo...more
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- 19 March, 2021 NRA Approves Draft Review Report on Dry Spent Fuel Storage Facility at Genkai NPPs
- 3 March, 2021 Challenged by Rubble, TEPCO Completes Removal of Spent Fuel Assemblies from Pool at Fukushima Daiichi-3 NPP
- 24 February, 2021 FEPC Chairman Explains Response to Earthquake off Fukushima
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- 10 December, 2020 Japan’s NRA Recognizes Compatibility of JNFL’s MOX Fuel Fabrication Plant with New Regulatory Standards, Approving Changes
- 24 November, 2020 NUMO Accepts Applications from Two Municipalities to Conduct Literature Surveys, Moving Closer Toward Selecting HLW Final Disposal Site
- 16 November, 2020 Kyushu Electric Power Starts Operating Facilities at Sendai-1 NPP Designed for “Specific Severe Accident” Response—First Time in Japan
- 13 November, 2020 Japan’s NRA Approves Changes to Mutsu Recyclable-Fuel Storage Center after Confirming Regulatory Compliance
- 13 October, 2020 NUMO Accepts Suttsu’s Application for Literature Survey in Selecting HLW Final Disposal Site—First Since Release of Map of Scientific Features
28 June, 2021
Mihama-3 Restarts after Decade-long Hiatus
At 10:00 a.m. on June 23, the Kansai Electric Power Co. (Kansai EP) restarted its Mihama-3 Nuclear Power Plant (PWR, 826MW). The unit had entered a periodic inspection in May 2011, slightly more than decade ago.
In the wake of the giant earthquake of March 2011 (officially named the Great East Japan Earthquake), the Japanese government passed legislation limiting NPPs to 40 years of operation in principle. Mihama-3 will be the first unit to be restarted since then that had served for more than 40 years. Its restart will be the first step toward the long-term utilization of NPPs whose safety has been confirmed.
During the decade-long operational hiatus of the reactor, the central control room at Mihama-3 was digitalized as part of work to enhance safety measures. Persons on duty for the restart have trained on a simulator for about two years.
Operation of Mihama-3 during its restart went smoothly this time. The unit went critical before dawn on June 24, achieving sustained fission, and begin ...more
