In response to the commencement of preparation work to restart units 3 and 4 of the Ohi nuclear power station (NPS) operated by Kansai Electric Power, the Japanese government decided June 22 to ease the power conservation targets set for several areas of the country for this summer. For the service area of Kansai Electric Power, which is expected to face the most severe power supply shortage in the country, a target had been set to reduce the maximum power consumption by 15 per cent relative to 2010. This target will be revised to 10 per cent once Ohi unit 3 is resumed.
In order to transfer electricity to Kansai Electric Power’s service area, its neighboring service areas of Chubu Electric Power, Hokuriku Electric Power and Chugoku Electric Power had also been subject to a 5 per cent conservation target. Once Ohi unit 3 resumes operation, the target will be relaxed to 3 per cent-4 per cent. Further relaxation will be implemented if Ohi unit 4 is also restarted.
Preparation work is now underway at the Ohi NPS to resume two of its reactors, starting with unit 3, and then unit 4. If the work proceeds without problems, it is expected that unit 3 will return to full operation on July 8, and unit 4 on July 24. The government plans to wait until the full operation of unit 3 becomes certain before deciding on specific revised conservation targets to be set after the restart of unit 4.
