Era Of A-Power Begins In Japan

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30302, 30 November 1963, Page 3

Era Of A-Power Begins In Japan

(N ZR A.-Rcuter) TOKYO. | Plans to build nuclear i power stations in Japan l were announced here as the first demonstration atomic power reactor began operating. If the projects materialise. Japan will have at least 1.000.000 kilowatts of nuclear power generating capacity by 1970. A long-range programme of the Japanese Government calls for expansion of this capacity to between 7.000.000 kilowatts and 9.500.000 kilowatts by 1980. The Atomic Energy Commission said the Japanese Government was encouraging these plans for two reasons. First, nuclear fuel was likely to become the most stable source of energy for Japan. Second, the cost of atomic power generation was expected to be gradually reduced to an economically desirable level The demonstration power reactor which “went critical” in August at Tokai Village, Japan's atomic research centre 70 miles northeast of Tokyo, is a 12.500 kilowatt boiling water-type reactor imported from the United States. Full-scale commercial generation of nuclear power must wait until March, 1965, when a .16.000 kilowatt Calder Hall type nuclear power station, now being built at Tokai Village, by the Japan atomic power generating company, is completed. The company has also announced it will build its second atomic power station in Fukui Prefecture, in Northern Japan facing the Japan Sea, with a light-water cooled reactor to be imported from the United States The reactor, using enriched uranium as fuel, will be capable of generating between 250.000 kilowatts and 300.000 kilowatts of electric power. Under the present plan, its construction is to be started in April. 1964. and completed in October, 1968. The Japan Atomic Power Generating Company is a joint venture formed by Japanese power companies and other related firms for the specific purpose of nuclear power generation Three of the power generating companies have subsequently announced independent plans to construct a nuclear power station of between 200 000 kilowatts and 300.000 kilowatts each by 1970.

The plan of the Tokyo Electric Power Company calls for starting the construction of a nuclear power station with a reactor employing enriched uranium as fuel in Fukushima Prefecture. just north of Tokai Village, by 1966. The Chubu (Central Japan) Electric Power Company also

plans to begin building its I power station with an enriched uranium type reactor | m Fukui prefecture in 1966 The Kansai Electric Power Company's plan providv that work on its nucle* power station should start bi the autumn of 1964. although it has not decided yet upon its site or the type of the reactor. The Atomic Energy Commission said all the reactors would be imported, mainlv from the United States, while foreign technical assistance would also be sought for the construction of the reactors and stations. Experience gained in the building of the Calder Hall type reactor in Tokai Village has been valuable, especially in the field of resistance against earthquakes, which are frequent in Japan, the commission said. In view of all these plans, the commission is confident that its target of 1.000.000 kilowatts of nuclear power generation capacity by 1970 will be successfully attained As the Japanese economy continued to grow at a swift pace. Japan’s energy requirements were expected to more than double in the period from 1962 to 1972. the commission said. Petroleum, which, accounted for 40 per cent of the total energy requirements in 1962, was likely to cover 61 per cent in 197'2. Japan, which produces little oil, would thus further increase her dependence upon overseas sources for energy Compared with petroleurti, nuclear fuel had more stable sources of supply abroad, while the cost of its transportation and storage was incomparably cheaper, the commission said The commission also said the cost of nuclear power generation was expected tn become in the near future quite competitive with thermal power generation with coal, although it might be slightly higher than thermal power generation with oil.