Chugoku Electric announces that a town in Yamaguchi Prefecture is a potential candidate for nuclear fuel storage.
In a significant development, Chugoku Electric Power Co. has suggested that the town of Kaminoseki, located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, could host an interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel.
The feasibility of constructing this facility in Kaminoseki has been evaluated by Chugoku Electric Power Co., and the results of the study were confirmed during a meeting between the company and Kaminoseki officials at the Kaminoseki municipal office on a Friday morning in August 2023.
The meeting was attended by Chugoku Electric Managing Executive Officer Satoshi Osedo, who informed the mayor of Kaminoseki, Tetsuo Nishi, about the findings of the feasibility study. According to the study, no problems have been found with setting up the storage facility in Kaminoseki.
The proposed facility is intended for spent fuel from nuclear power plants, and it is located in western Japan. The drilling survey for the facility was completed in November 2024.
Chugoku Electric Power Co. is considering building the spent nuclear fuel storage facility in Kaminoseki, provided it is jointly developed with Kansai Electric Power Co. However, the ultimate decision rests with the town of Kaminoseki.
The mayor, Tetsuo Nishi, has stated that the town assembly and citizens will make a judgment about the proposed interim storage facility. The city of Kaminoseki has opposed the construction of such a facility in the past.
The proposed interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel is still under consideration, and it remains to be seen whether it will be built in Kaminoseki. The feasibility study was conducted at the planned construction site for the facility in Kaminoseki, as stated earlier.
