The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will hold an open session on February 22 on a plan to build two more nuclear units in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture.
Japan Atomic Power plans to build two 1530MWe PWRs at Tsuruga in fiscal years 2009 and 2010, respectively. The session aims to address local residents' concerns over the environmental impact and other aspects of the project. Following the session — possibly in March — METI will convene an advisory panel session, at which Fukui Governor Yukio Kurita will be invited to give his approval for the plan. If he agrees, Japan Atomic Power will apply for official approval to build the units.
The open session is the first to be organised by METI since October 2000, when views were heard on the plan by Chugoku Electric Power to build a plant in Kaminoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The project was incorporated into state policy last year.
