Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry publishes 67.2% utilization
– By Linton Levy –
The nuclear power plant utilization rate at Japan's 10 nuclear power companies rose to a five-month high of 67.2 percent in January, government data revealed today. Part of this growth was due to certain nuclear-generators being restarted to help meet winter peak demand.
The January run rate compared with 60.7 percent a year earlier and 62.5 percent in December, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) reported. Japan's nuclear power generation capacity fell by 1,380 megawatts, or 2.8 percent, to 47,935 megawatts on January 30, as Chubu Electric Power Co decommissioned its 540-megawatt No.1 and 840-megawatt No.2 generators at its Hamaoka nuclear plant. Chubu Electric intends to cnstruction a new, bigger No.6 reactor to replace them. The nuclear utilization rate is expected to rise following the move as Japan's nine utilities and electricity wholesaler Japan Atomic Power Co now have 53 nuclear power generators for commercial use, down from 55 previously.