Japan Aims to Replace Up to 14 Atomic Power Reactors by 2050s
(Bloomberg) -- Japan is planning to replace up to 14 nuclear reactors by the 2050s, as it looks to meet rising power demand at home and cope with increasing geopolitical risks abroad.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry proposed replacing as many as five atomic power plants by the 2040s and up to a further nine the following decade, in a revised draft of its action guideline on nuclear energy policy that was sent to an internal committee on Friday.
Japan has been slowly re-embracing atomic energy after shutting down all of its plants following the Fukushima disaster in 2011. It’s now restarted around half of its about 30 commercially available reactors, with the country’s renewed enthusiasm being driven by the artificial intelligence boom boosting electricity consumption, as well as reducing emissions.
The environment surrounding nuclear energy has changed significantly, driven by expectations of increased electricity demand due to a ramp up in the digital and green transformations, the ministry said in a document on the proposal. A growing emphasis on energy security amid rising geopolitical risks including those in the Middle East also puts additional importance on a stable energy supply, it said.
Japan will need to replace two to five reactors in order to secure around 2.2 gigawatts to 5.5 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by the 2040s, the ministry said. Some 11 to 14 reactors will be needed by the 2050s, to achieve 12.7 gigawatts to 16 gigawatts of capacity in total, it said.
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