In latest draft energy policy, government calls nuclear power 'important'
Source: Kyodo
The government Tuesday unveiled a draft energy policy that characterizes atomic power as an important electricity source, although the draft waters down some wording seen in an earlier version as signaling a strong pro-nuclear tone.
In the draft, the government said nuclear energy is an important base-load power source that usually supplies electricity continuously through the day, while vowing to push for the restart of reactors that have satisfied new safety requirements introduced after the 2011 Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant disaster.
The government initially planned to secure Cabinet approval of the so-called Basic Energy Plan in January, having already unveiled a draft document a month earlier. But it apparently decided to proceed more slowly after seeing how the content stirred controversy among some ruling party lawmakers who found the tone of the plan to be too strongly pro-nuclear.
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As for Japans long-standing spent nuclear fuel recycling policy, the revised document said the government will promote it, but added that there should be flexibility in the medium to long term.
Meanwhile, the government added emphasis to the section on renewable energy, saying that efforts to accelerate the introduction of such sources will continue beyond the period of about three years starting from 2013.
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Read more: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/02/25/national/in-latest-draft-energy-policy-government-calls-nuclear-power-important/