Japan Turns Back to Nuclear Power

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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--Japan's government has approved a law that will allow nuclear reactors to operate beyond 60 years.

The law reverses a 60-year limit that was imposed after the partial meltdown of reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in 2011, caused by the country's worst recorded earthquake. The government indicated earlier in the year that nuclear power would be needed for the country to reduce its almost complete reliance on fossil-fuel imports and to help transition to more renewable energy. The 7th Basic Energy Plan now wants nuclear power to supply about 20% of the country's total electricity generation by 2040 - a turnaround from all previous post-Fukushima plans that called for a continued reduction in nuclear power.

At the time of the Fukushima disaster, Japan had 54 operational nuclear reactors supplying around 30% of the country's power. After the accident, most were shut down over the following year. Since then, 14 reactors have been slowly brought back online, and in 2023 nuclear power supplied 8.5% of the country's power. In order for the country to reach its 20% target, most of the 36 reactors still capable of operation will have to be brought back online. The relaxed lifespan ruling will allow operators to discount the decade or more they were forced offline following Fukushima, and once they are certified as safe by the country's nuclear authorities, they can restart generation. Industrial Info is tracking 75 Japanese nuclear-related projects worth over US$14 billion in investment. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for the reports.

Japan - the world's fourth-largest economy - wants to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, but its massive reliance on fossil-fuel imports, particularly gas and coal, and its significantly reduced nuclear capacity make this an ambitious target. As part of February's 7th Basic Energy Plan, the government wants renewables to account for up to 50% of its electricity mix by 2040, while also cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2035 versus 2013 levels. According to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), renewables accounted for 23% of electricity generated in 2023, led by solar (9.6%) and hydropower (8.5%). Fossil fuels accounted for more than 64% of generation, led by gas (33%) and coal (28.3%). There has been a surge in renewables investment over the past decade, and Industrial Info is tracking 325 active wind and solar power projects worth more than US$209 billion in investment in Japan. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for the reports.

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