Japan Looks at Building First Atomic Reactor Since Fukushima

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(Bloomberg) — Kansai Electric Power Co. is looking into a plan to build Japan’s first nuclear reactor since the country soured on the technology following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, the regional utility confirmed. 

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The company will resume surveys for a potential new reactor at the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui prefecture west of Tokyo, it said in a statement on Tuesday. 

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The move marks Japan’s most significant step toward reviving atomic power since the Fukushima Dai-Ichi meltdowns prompted the closure of the nation’s reactors. The government is backing nuclear energy to meet an expected rise in electricity demand from the AI boom over the next decade, and public opinion has also become more favorable.

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“Nuclear power should continue to be utilized into the future,” Kansai Electric President Nozomu Mori told reporters in Osaka. “In a country like Japan, which lacks natural resources, the key question is how we can continue to deliver energy, particularly as we look to foster the growth of new industries.”

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Kansai Electric’s plans, which were first reported in local media late on Friday, sparked a surge in utility shares on Tuesday as local markets reopened after a public holiday. The company itself rose as much as 5% in Tokyo.

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Other utilities advanced more. Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Hokkaido Electric Power Co. both climbed as much as 6.7%. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., a nuclear parts manufacturer, rallied as much as 6.2%. 

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While there is a variety of reactor design options, Mitsubishi Heavy’s new model, the SRZ-1200, is the most “realistic,” said Hiroaki Kitaura, the company’s chief manager for plant and maintenance engineering, during a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday. The company will conduct surveys at the Mihama power plant to possibly replace the No. 1 unit, which is currently being decommissioned, he said.

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The study is expected to take “several years,” Kitaura explained, adding that it’s undecided when the study will begin.

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The revival of nuclear power in Japan after Fukushima has been a long process. Fewer than half of the country’s 33 operable reactors have gotten back online due to lengthy regulatory checks and upgrades, as well as local opposition.

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Outside of Japan, a renaissance in nuclear power has been underway for several years, as governments and companies, particularly in the tech sector, look for ways to meet clean energy targets. Microsoft Corp. is investing in the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear plant in the US, while Amazon.com Inc. is backing a nuclear technology company. 

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Japanese Trade Minister Yoji Muto declined to comment specifically on Kansai Electric’s plans on Tuesday. He said the government believes Japan will need to secure more carbon-free electricity, and will take necessary steps to encourage investment and strengthen the nuclear supply chain. 

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—With assistance from Hiroshi Miyazaki.

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(Updates with power company president’s comments in fourth paragraph.)

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