ID :
198111
Fri, 07/29/2011 - 19:00
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/198111
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Japan to seek to scale back on nuclear power in new energy strategy+
TOKYO, July 30 Kyodo -
The Japanese government decided Friday to draw up a scenario for reducing the country's reliance on nuclear power in its energy strategy to be worked out next year following the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, but recognized the need to use atomic reactors to deal with imminent electricity shortage problems.
The government also unveiled a set of near-term measures to tackle the power crunch that has emerged as a result of the crisis, showing an estimate that the country's power supply capacity could be about 9.2 percent short of peak demand next summer if no reactors are in operation by that time.
Japan is reviewing its earlier policy to promote atomic energy as the nuclear crisis, triggered in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, has raised serious doubts among the public about the safety of nuclear reactors.
The government plans to compile a basic policy of its energy strategy by the end of the year, and the strategy itself next year, based on an outline of its energy policy decided Friday. But the outline did not touch on whether Japan should seek to become a society that does not depend on nuclear energy, as stated by Prime Minister Naoto Kan as his ''personal view.''
''As for the reduction of the ratio of the country's reliance on nuclear power plants, we should decide how we should act by deepening public discussions,'' a government paper said.
It also said that ''nuclear power plants that have been confirmed as safe should be used'' in the meantime as power supply and demand are unstable.
Kan told a press conference later Friday, ''Based on today's decisions, we would further engage in discussions (on energy matters)... The government will push for the reduction of nuclear reliance systematically and in stages.''
In addition to fears of power shortages, the government also said there is a risk that the country's electricity generation costs may rise by more than 3 trillion yen if all nuclear power were replaced by thermal power using oil or liquefied natural gas.
To keep the imminent power supply crunch and rise in electricity bills to a minimum, the government said it plans to promote the introduction of energy-efficient products such as light-emitting diodes and to intensively deploy in the next five years ''smart meters'' that help control electricity consumption.
The spread of smart meters would help achieve more swiftly a ''smart grid'' next-generation power delivery network, which is also expected to make much greater use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, the paper said.
The government also encouraged the separation of electricity generation and transmission to create a competitive environment in the country's electricity businesses.
Before the quake, nuclear power accounted for about 30 percent of the total electricity generated in the country, which has 54 commercial nuclear reactors. But none of the reactors undergoing checkups has been able to restart since the March nuclear crisis, and others now operating will eventually have to be suspended for such checks.
The government also made clear in the paper that it would take thorough safety measures in using atomic power, but prospects are uncertain whether such a stance would lead local governments hosting the atomic power plants to approve the restart of reactors.
Japan's basic energy plan endorsed in June 2010 sought to increase the ratio of the country's reliance on nuclear energy to 53 percent by 2030, but Kan said earlier that the government had no choice but to scrap that plan in the wake of the Fukushima crisis.
The envisioned new energy strategy will be considered through three time frames -- short term covering the next three years, the medium term to 2020, and the long term between 2020 and 2030 or between 2020 and 2050.
The Japanese government decided Friday to draw up a scenario for reducing the country's reliance on nuclear power in its energy strategy to be worked out next year following the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, but recognized the need to use atomic reactors to deal with imminent electricity shortage problems.
The government also unveiled a set of near-term measures to tackle the power crunch that has emerged as a result of the crisis, showing an estimate that the country's power supply capacity could be about 9.2 percent short of peak demand next summer if no reactors are in operation by that time.
Japan is reviewing its earlier policy to promote atomic energy as the nuclear crisis, triggered in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, has raised serious doubts among the public about the safety of nuclear reactors.
The government plans to compile a basic policy of its energy strategy by the end of the year, and the strategy itself next year, based on an outline of its energy policy decided Friday. But the outline did not touch on whether Japan should seek to become a society that does not depend on nuclear energy, as stated by Prime Minister Naoto Kan as his ''personal view.''
''As for the reduction of the ratio of the country's reliance on nuclear power plants, we should decide how we should act by deepening public discussions,'' a government paper said.
It also said that ''nuclear power plants that have been confirmed as safe should be used'' in the meantime as power supply and demand are unstable.
Kan told a press conference later Friday, ''Based on today's decisions, we would further engage in discussions (on energy matters)... The government will push for the reduction of nuclear reliance systematically and in stages.''
In addition to fears of power shortages, the government also said there is a risk that the country's electricity generation costs may rise by more than 3 trillion yen if all nuclear power were replaced by thermal power using oil or liquefied natural gas.
To keep the imminent power supply crunch and rise in electricity bills to a minimum, the government said it plans to promote the introduction of energy-efficient products such as light-emitting diodes and to intensively deploy in the next five years ''smart meters'' that help control electricity consumption.
The spread of smart meters would help achieve more swiftly a ''smart grid'' next-generation power delivery network, which is also expected to make much greater use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, the paper said.
The government also encouraged the separation of electricity generation and transmission to create a competitive environment in the country's electricity businesses.
Before the quake, nuclear power accounted for about 30 percent of the total electricity generated in the country, which has 54 commercial nuclear reactors. But none of the reactors undergoing checkups has been able to restart since the March nuclear crisis, and others now operating will eventually have to be suspended for such checks.
The government also made clear in the paper that it would take thorough safety measures in using atomic power, but prospects are uncertain whether such a stance would lead local governments hosting the atomic power plants to approve the restart of reactors.
Japan's basic energy plan endorsed in June 2010 sought to increase the ratio of the country's reliance on nuclear energy to 53 percent by 2030, but Kan said earlier that the government had no choice but to scrap that plan in the wake of the Fukushima crisis.
The envisioned new energy strategy will be considered through three time frames -- short term covering the next three years, the medium term to 2020, and the long term between 2020 and 2030 or between 2020 and 2050.
