OSAKA -- Kansai Electric Power Co.'s three aging nuclear reactors are expected to resume operations, in what would be Japan's first restart of reactors that are more than 40 years old.
The government's basic energy plan calls for nuclear power to account for 20% to 22% of the country's power supply in fiscal 2030. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced a new goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 46% by fiscal 2030 from 2013 levels.
To achieve decarbonization, nuclear power, which does not generate carbon dioxide during operation, should be used effectively.
However, following the 2011 nuclear disaster at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, the number of reactors to resume operations is limited. In 2010, nuclear power made up 25% of the country's energy mix, but the figure had declined to 6% in fiscal 2019.
When building a new nuclear power plant, there are many hurdles to obtaining approval from local authorities, and safety costs have increased since the Fukushima accident. As a result, discussions on the matter have been sluggish. Making the best use of existing nuclear reactors for a longer period of time is also important for the nation's energy policy.
The government and KEPCO need to thoroughly ensure safety and disclose information to help relieve the concerns of local residents over continuing to operate aging nuclear reactors. They also have a responsibility to explain the importance of operating nuclear reactors that are more than 40 years old.
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