Japan's Energy White Paper 2017
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Japan’s Energy White Paper 2017 Japan’s Energy Landscape and Key Policy Measures PART 1 Fukushima Reconstruction Progress PART 2 New Developments in Energy Policy PART 3 Energy System Reform and Bolstering Industry Competitiveness 2 Toward Decommissioning PART Fukushima Reconstruction Progress 1 In early 2017, remote-controlled cameras and robots captured direct readings inside the primary containment vessels of Unit 1 and Unit 2. The devices recorded large amounts of data, including images and radiation dosage levels, marking a major step toward decommissioning. The Japanese government continues to support the development of the technology necessary for Reconstruction in Fukushima is steadily progressing. In 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake and ensuing decommissioning while bringing together innovative solutions from inside and outside Japan. accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station marked a turning point for Japan’s overall energy policy. Despite some hurdles and delays, decommissioning and contaminated water management at the station Progress at each unit are advancing in accordance with the Mid-and-Long-Term Roadmap toward the Decommissioning of TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Unit Unit 1 2 Dismantling of the Began installation of 1 building cover a platform to access Contaminated Water Management completed the top floor of the In September 2013, the Japanese government established basic policy measures to prevent further contamination from water (November 2016) building (September Dismantling of the building cover Installation of a working platform used for cooling the nuclear reactor and groundwater flowing into the reactor building. These preventive and multi-layered 2016) countermeasures are based on three basic principles: 1) isolate groundwater from the contamination source; 2) prevent Number of fuel assemblies: 392 Number of fuel assemblies: 615 contaminated water leakage; and 3) remove contaminated water. Unit Unit Measures such as pumping groundwater from wells and frozen soil walls—underground walls 3 4 of ice that block the flow of groundwater—have helped reduce the volume of water flowing Isolation into station buildings from around 400 m3/day to around 120 m3/day as of March 2017. Began installation of Removal of all fuel fuel removal completed equipment (December 2014) Impermeable walls of (November 2016) Performance test following frozen soil (land side) assembly of fuel removal equipment Removing fuel from Groundwater flows into the Number of fuel assemblies: 566 buildings are prevented by using ice the SFP walls created by freezing soil in the ground around the buildings. Conceptual drawing of the Freezing ducts 3 Care for Earthquake Disaster Victims frozen soil wall As of spring 2017, all area restrictions and evacuation orders* were removed except for the towns of Okuma and Futaba. * Habitation Restricted Areas and Preparation Areas for Lift of Evacuation Order Impermeable walls along the coast have significantly limited the flow of radioactive Preventing materials into the sea. METI has confirmed significant improvements in port water Areas to which evacuation orders Leakage quality since installation. have been issued (Apr 1, 2017) Municipalities where evacuation orders were lifted Date of the lifting of the Legend Municipalities evacuation order Impermeable steel wall (sea side) Installation of additional water tanks Area 1: Preparation Areas for Lift of Tamura City April 1, 2014 Evacuation Order Area 2: Habitation Restricted Areas Kawauchi Village Area 3: Areas where · Area 1: Preparation Areas for Lift of October 1, 2014 Returning is Difficult Evacuation Order · Area 2: Habitation Restricted Areas June 14, 2016 Naraha Town September 5, 2015 Katsurao Village June 12, 2016 A 780-meter-long wall of 30-meter-tall steel pipes Water tanks for storing treated water are being was constructed on the sea side of Units 1 through systematically installed to ensure adequate storage Minamisoma City July 12, 2016 4, which has been gradually improving the water capacity. quality in the surrounding sea area. Iitate Village March 31, 2017* Kawamata Town March 31, 2017** Multi-nuclide removal equipment (ALPS) continuously purifies contaminated water generated Namie Town March 31, 2017*** daily. Treatment of all contaminated water in the station trenches was completed in December Tomioka Town April 1, 2017*** Removal 2015, marking a significant reduction in risk. Decided by the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters on June 17, 2016 (*), on October 28, 2016 (**) and on March 10, 2017 (***) 1 Japan’s Energy White Paper 2017 State of Japan’s Energy and Principal Measures 2 2 Toward Decommissioning PART Fukushima Reconstruction Progress 1 In early 2017, remote-controlled cameras and robots captured direct readings inside the primary containment vessels of Unit 1 and Unit 2. The devices recorded large amounts of data, including images and radiation dosage levels, marking a major step toward decommissioning. The Japanese government continues to support the development of the technology necessary for Reconstruction in Fukushima is steadily progressing. In 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake and ensuing decommissioning while bringing together innovative solutions from inside and outside Japan. accident at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station marked a turning point for Japan’s overall energy policy. Despite some hurdles and delays, decommissioning and contaminated water management at the station Progress at each unit are advancing in accordance with the Mid-and-Long-Term Roadmap toward the Decommissioning of TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Unit Unit 1 2 Dismantling of the Began installation of 1 building cover a platform to access Contaminated Water Management completed the top floor of the In September 2013, the Japanese government established basic policy measures to prevent further contamination from water (November 2016) building (September Dismantling of the building cover Installation of a working platform used for cooling the nuclear reactor and groundwater flowing into the reactor building. These preventive and multi-layered 2016) countermeasures are based on three basic principles: 1) isolate groundwater from the contamination source; 2) prevent Number of fuel assemblies: 392 Number of fuel assemblies: 615 contaminated water leakage; and 3) remove contaminated water. Unit Unit Measures such as pumping groundwater from wells and frozen soil walls—underground walls 3 4 of ice that block the flow of groundwater—have helped reduce the volume of water flowing Isolation into station buildings from around 400 m3/day to around 120 m3/day as of March 2017. Began installation of Removal of all fuel fuel removal completed equipment (December 2014) Impermeable walls of (November 2016) Performance test following frozen soil (land side) assembly of fuel removal equipment Removing fuel from Groundwater flows into the Number of fuel assemblies: 566 buildings are prevented by using ice the SFP walls created by freezing soil in the ground around the buildings. Conceptual drawing of the Freezing ducts 3 Care for Earthquake Disaster Victims frozen soil wall As of spring 2017, all area restrictions and evacuation orders* were removed except for the towns of Okuma and Futaba. * Habitation Restricted Areas and Preparation Areas for Lift of Evacuation Order Impermeable walls along the coast have significantly limited the flow of radioactive Preventing materials into the sea. METI has confirmed significant improvements in port water Areas to which evacuation orders Leakage quality since installation. have been issued (Apr 1, 2017) Municipalities where evacuation orders were lifted Date of the lifting of the Legend Municipalities evacuation order Impermeable steel wall (sea side) Installation of additional water tanks Area 1: Preparation Areas for Lift of Tamura City April 1, 2014 Evacuation Order Area 2: Habitation Restricted Areas Kawauchi Village Area 3: Areas where · Area 1: Preparation Areas for Lift of October 1, 2014 Returning is Difficult Evacuation Order · Area 2: Habitation Restricted Areas June 14, 2016 Naraha Town September 5, 2015 Katsurao Village June 12, 2016 A 780-meter-long wall of 30-meter-tall steel pipes Water tanks for storing treated water are being was constructed on the sea side of Units 1 through systematically installed to ensure adequate storage Minamisoma City July 12, 2016 4, which has been gradually improving the water capacity. quality in the surrounding sea area. Iitate Village March 31, 2017* Kawamata Town March 31, 2017** Multi-nuclide removal equipment (ALPS) continuously purifies contaminated water generated Namie Town March 31, 2017*** daily. Treatment of all contaminated water in the station trenches was completed in December Tomioka Town April 1, 2017*** Removal 2015, marking a significant reduction in risk. Decided by the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters on June 17, 2016 (*), on October 28, 2016 (**) and on March 10, 2017 (***) 1 Japan’s Energy White Paper 2017 State of Japan’s Energy and Principal Measures 2 2 Balancing Environmental Concerns with Growth PART New Developments in Energy Policy 2 To realize its Energy Mix Plan, Japan is developing policies that not only achieve comprehensive energy conservation and maximize the introduction of renewable energy, but also reduce the public burden while exploring the future possibilities of hydrogen energy. METI has outlined Japan’s policy positions in a newly compiled report <Graph 1> called the