US EditionKepco to Build Japan’s First New Nuclear Reactor Since Fukushima Meltdown
TSURUGA CITY, FUKUI PREFECTURE, JAPAN, JUL 22 – Kansai Electric plans geological surveys at Mihama plant to explore replacing aging reactors amid rising electricity demand and government support for safer nuclear technology.
- On July 22, 2025, Kansai Electric announced plans to carry out land and geological assessments at Mihama in Fukui Prefecture as part of preparations for constructing a new nuclear reactor.
- This follows the shelving of a similar 2010 plan halted by the 2011 Fukushima disaster, after which Japan closed most reactors amid public distrust of nuclear power.
- The president of Kansai Electric emphasized that surveys will commence promptly with thorough explanations provided to local residents, seeking their cooperation, and clarified that any construction decisions will not be based solely on the survey outcomes.
- The government aims to raise nuclear power to 20% of Japan’s electricity mix, more than double current levels but below pre-Fukushima 30%, and supports next-generation safer reactors like Mitsubishi Heavy’s SRZ-1200.
- This project marks Japan’s first concrete step toward new reactor construction since 2011 and reflects a return to nuclear energy to ensure stable, carbon-free power amid rising demand.
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Japanese energy company Kansai Electric Power (Kepco) announced Tuesday that it will resume a geomorphological study to evaluate the possibility of building a new nuclear reactor in the country. The study was suspended in March 2011 following the…
Kansai Electric to restart surveys on building new reactor
The operator of a nuclear power plant in central Japan says it will resume onsite surveys toward constructing a next-generation reactor within the facility. If built, it would be the first new reactor in Japan since the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident.
The Japanese utility company Kansai Electric Power Co. confirmed Tuesday that it is analysing a plan for the construction of Japan's first new nuclear reactor, following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, passed Bloomberg.
The electricity company Kansai Electric announced that it was launching a study to build a replacement power plant at the Mihama power plant. The country had stopped all its nuclear reactors after the tragedy of 2011.
Japan plans first new nuclear reactor post-Fukushima
A Japanese power company unveiled plans for the country’s first nuclear reactor since the 2011 Fukushima meltdown. The earthquake and ensuing tsunami that year killed around 18,000 people, and severely damaged a nuclear plant, leading Tokyo to shut down almost all the country’s reactors. But since 2022, Japan — facing high energy costs and dependent on overseas imports — has U-turned, reactivating 14 plants. Public opinion on nuclear power has a…
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