Japan is restarting its seventh nuclear reactor. They are restarting operation of unit 3 at its Genkai nuclear power plant in Japan’s Saga prefecture. The reactor is scheduled to resume commercial operation next month.
Genkai 3 is the seventh of Japan’s 42 operable reactors which have so far cleared inspections confirming they meet the new regulatory safety standards and resumed operation. The others are: Kyushu’s Sendai units 1 and 2; Shikoku’s Ikata unit 3; and Kansai’s Takahama units 3 and 4 and Ohi unit 3. Another 17 reactors have applied to restart.
Kansai expects to refuel Ohi unit 4 in mid-April and restart it around mid-May, with commercial operation expected to resume in early June. Kyushu also plans to reactivate Genkai unit 4 in May.
Nuclear energy is expected to account for 20-22% of Japan’s power generation in 2030, with a similar portion coming from renewable sources. The remainder of the country’s power generation will be met by coal (26%), LNG (27%) and oil (3%), according to Japan’s latest energy policy.
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