January 2003

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METI to expand subsidies to promote MOX power

The Japan Times, December 30, 2002

Original address: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20021230a8.htm

[Posted 07/01/2003]

The industry ministry will expand subsidies to local governments in a bid to advance the stalled plan to begin power generation fueled by uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (MOX), ministry officials said.

The so-called pluthermal plan to burn MOX fuels in existing nuclear reactors was halted when both Fukushima and Niigata prefectures retracted earlier agreements following a damage coverup scandal by Tokyo Electric Power Co. at three plants in their regions.

Another plan for pluthermal generation by Kansai Electric Power Co. in Fukui Prefecture has been suspended due to an earlier data-manipulation scandal of MOX fuel imported from Britain.

In an attempt to revive the program, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to give 20 million yen annually for up to five years to help relevant prefectural governments persuade residents to accept the plans.

The central government will also triple subsidies provided in line with power output if MOX is used instead of uranium fuels.

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