Kansai Electric Starts Surveys for Japan’s First Post-Fukushima Reactor

Kansai Electric Power said it will begin geological and topographical surveys at its Mihama nuclear power station in Fukui Prefecture as a precursor to building a replacement reactor. The utility is evaluating the SRZ-1200 advanced light-water design being developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, according to an executive briefing on Tuesday. The move is the first concrete step toward constructing a new reactor in Japan since the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi disaster forced the shutdown of most of the nation’s fleet. Japan now has a little over a dozen reactors online with a combined capacity of about 12 gigawatts, well below the 54 units that operated before 2011. Tokyo has been urging utilities to expand nuclear generation to bolster energy security and curb reliance on imported fossil fuels. Kansai Electric, Japan’s largest operator by number of active units, said the surveys will also include consultations with local residents before it decides whether to proceed with the project.