Japan may shut down all nuclear power plants by 2012

Japan may shut down all nuclear power plants by 2012
POWER UTILITY | Isabelle Ulanday, Japan
31 Oct 2011
AsianPower


Shocking news as no power plants being restarted after maintenance will see Japan off all Nuclear by June 2011.


Nobuo Tanaka, Former Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, said in the recently concluded Singapore Energy Lecture that Japan’s power plants are in danger of stopping operations altogether.


“Out of 55 nuclear reactors, only 11 of them are running. No nuclear reactors have been allowed to restart since March 11. If this continues, all reactors will stop, and then Japan would have to import more oil and gas,” he said.


When asked when Japan’s power stations will be restarted, Tanaka said that restarting nuclear power is the most logical option for the country. “There’s so much concern about the public’s safety. Logically, if Japan is not restarting nuclear power it means $3 trillion more expenditure in fields. This is irrational so it should start very quickly towards early next year.”


He added that in IEA’s view, Japan should continue nuclear operations but with safer regulations.


Dr Nobuo Tanaka with Geoff Cutmore of CNBC