Consultation approves nuclear share in Japan energy mix

• 9 years ago (2015-06-01)

Asia 892 Nuclear 660

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The plan itself will be open to the public for further consultation for a month from Tuesday, and the proposals are expected to be approved by the Trade Ministry around mid-July.

Before the Fukushima disaster, nuclear power represented nearly 30 per cent of Japan's energy mix. The subsequent shut-down of Japan's fleet of nuclear reactors has pushed coal and LNG consumption to record highs, causing power costs to soar.

However, one of the members of the consultative committee, Professor Takeo Kikkawa of the Tokyo University of Science, said: "I am against this draft. The reason is that this does not match Japan's basic energy plan to reduce reliance on nuclear power as much as possible and maximise introduction of renewable energy."

He went further and said that he wanted to see nuclear energy making up 15 per cent of the energy mix, with renewables on 30 per cent. Before, he noted that Japan should concentrate on building new nuclear power plants as these were the best in terms of safety.

The country's basic energy plan, which was last set in April 2014, is to be revised every three years and energy mix percentages are also subject to change.