Kansai Electric to Examine Fukui Prefecture Location for potential new nuclear reactor construction
In a significant move for the Japanese energy sector, Kansai Electric Power Co. has announced plans to build a new nuclear reactor at its Mihama Nuclear Power Plant site in Fukui Prefecture. This marks the first concrete steps towards nuclear reactor construction in Japan since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
The company's president, Nozomu Mori, emphasized the importance of nuclear power given Japan's resource limitations and rising electricity demand, particularly from industrial growth sectors like data centers and semiconductors. Kansai Electric stresses safety, regulatory compliance, and local community engagement as priorities.
The feasibility survey, which began in July 2025, includes detailed site-specific assessments of topography and geology to meet updated regulatory standards. The survey results will determine whether Kansai Electric Power Co. can proceed with the construction of a new nuclear reactor at its Mihama power plant.
Kansai Electric will comprehensively assess the development status of new reactor models and the business environment before making a decision. The company aims to install a next-generation nuclear reactor, such as an innovative light-water reactor, at the Mihama power plant.
If the survey results support the construction, Kansai Electric Power Co. is expected to apply for approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority to move forward with the project. However, the company has clarified that it will not make a decision on the construction solely based on the survey results.
This potential new reactor is located in the town of Mihama, Fukui Prefecture. Kansai Electric will explain the survey details to the people of Mihama before starting the surveys.
The company's plans for the new reactor are aligned with the Japanese government's updated Basic Energy Plan, which targets nuclear power to account for 20% of electricity generation by 2040 and supports building new reactors at existing nuclear sites.
This development is a significant step towards Japan's nuclear energy revival, following the Fukushima disaster that led to a nationwide halt in nuclear power operations. If approved, Kansai Electric Power Co.'s project would involve building a new nuclear reactor at its Mihama power plant, marking a historical initiative in Japan's energy sector.
- Kansai Electric Power Co.'s president, Nozomu Mori, expressed the importance of nuclear power for coping with Japan's resource constraints and the increasing energy demands from growth sectors like data centers and semiconductors.
- Kansai Electric will assess the developmental status of new reactor models, the business environment, and prioritize safety, regulatory compliance, and community engagement before deciding on the construction of a next-generation nuclear reactor.
- The survey results will determine whether Kansai Electric Power Co. can progress with nuclear reactor construction at the Mihama power plant site in Fukui Prefecture.
- The potential new reactor in Mihama, Fukui Prefecture, is expected to contribute to Japan's energy sector as part of the government's updated Basic Energy Plan, aiming for nuclear power to generate 20% of the electricity by 2040, by supporting the construction of new reactors at existing nuclear sites.
