Kansai Electric Power Co. plans to launch a geological study in preparation for the construction of a nuclear power plant, sources familiar with the matter said Friday.
Provided by Kyodo News
If realized, it would be the country's first nuclear plant since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The power company serving the greater Osaka region is looking to carry out the survey on the premises of the Mihama nuclear power station in Fukui Prefecture, the sources said.
The utility will brief the town of Mihama on the plan possibly next week, according to the sources.
As demand for electricity in Japan is expected to increase in the future, the government, as well as the power industry, has been discussing the need for a new or expanded facility to ensure a stable power supply.
For the construction of a nuclear plant, numerous steps would be required following a geological survey, with Kansai Electric needing to draw up a basic design and submit it to the Nuclear Regulation Authority for approval before it could begin construction work. Whether the local community accepts the project will also be an essential part of the whole procedure.
Currently, the only nuclear reactor in operation at the Mihama station is the No. 3 unit, while the other two units are set to be decommissioned.
In 2010, Kansai Electric announced a plan to replace an aging reactor at the power station and started a survey, but the process was halted due to the nuclear disaster triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan the following year.