Fukushima Daiichi Situation Disrupts Chugoku Electric's Nuclear Plans at Kaminoseki

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources East Asia (Kofu-shi, Japan)--Following the events of March 11 in Japan, Chugoku Electric Power Company Incorporated (TYO: 9504) (Hiroshima, Japan) has announced the suspension of land reclamation activities for its planned Kaminoseki nuclear power station. Chugoku Electric maintains that this suspension is temporary and will affect only the land reclamation, not the project as a whole.

The Kaminoseki nuclear power station's construction plan has met resistance from local groups since its inception. Chugoku Electric had been forced to suspend reclamation activities because of this resistance, but the company resumed reclamation in February of this year, shortly before the magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck the Tohoku region. Land reclamation for the project had strong support from the prefectural government, including Prefectural Governor Sekinari Nii.

Despite his previous support of the project, on March 14 Governor Nii submitted project suspension documents. This decision came after consideration of the planned specifications for Kaminoseki Nuclear Power Station in comparison to the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Kaminoseki nuclear power station planned to house two boiling water reactors similar to Fukushima Daiichi, and its site was designed to withstand a magnitude 8.6 earthquake and/or a 4.6-meter tsunami. In light of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that struck the Tohoku region, Governor Nii told Yomiuri Newspaper on Thursday, March 17, "Japan and Chugoku Electric will take the time necessary to think about what to do from here on. I would like everyone to support the suspension of construction."

Kaminoseki nuclear power station was expected to begin operations in March 2018. However due to the current situation surrounding Fukushima Daiichi, this plan may be revised. The site for the plant is estimated to be 330,000 square meters, 140,000 of which were to be made up of land reclaimed from the coastline. Chugoku Electric received a land reclamation permit that is valid through October 2012. If reclamation is not complete by the expiration of the permit, Chugoku Electric may see even further delay of this project.

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