Japan’s Basic Energy Plan supports limited role for nuclear

• 10 years ago (2014-02-27)
• Junior Isles

Asia 892 Nuclear 659

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Japan has revealed drafts of its first new national energy policy since the Fukushima disaster three years ago, the Basic Energy Plan, and has stated that nuclear power should remain an important source of electricity.

The draft says Japan's nuclear energy dependency will be reduced but that reactors which meet the stronger safety standards set up after the 2011 crisis should be restarted. All 48 of Japan’s commercial reactors are currently offline, pending their passing the new standards.

The previous energy plan, from 2010, called for nuclear to provide about half of Japan's electricity needs by 2030, up from the roughly one-third at the time. A turn in public opinion and the stark realisation of the potential risks and costs of an accident have forced a change in this approach.

The draft was presented to the cabinet for this week, and approval of the plan is expected during March. The draft says a mix of nuclear, renewables and fossil fuel would be the most reliable and stable source of electricity to meet Japan's energy needs.

Release of the draft was delayed from January after a recommendation submitted by a panel of experts was judged to be too pro-nuclear. The updated draft more strongly emphasised the role of renewable energy.

Despite this shift, Economy, Trade and Industry minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, stated that "in principle, the direction has not changed", and called for additional efforts to accelerate the development of renewable energy over the next few years.

The draft says Japan will continue its policy of recycling nuclear fuel, but clarifies that there should be flexibility allowing for a later change in this policy. Officials have said that the most realistic way to reduce Japan’s stockpile of plutonium is to restart the reactors to burn it.