Nuclear in Japan: Brief update

We have already reported the voting down of an attempt by some shareholders of Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, which would have made the company abandon all nuclear energy generation.

We can now report that a similar action was attempted at the annual meeting of Tohoku Electric Power Company, and was also voted down.

Later update: We can add Kansai Electric Power to this group.

TEPCO owns and operates Fukushima Daiichi, Fukushima Daini, and Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear stations; this latter is by virtue of rated plant capacity the most powerful nuclear generating station on Earth. Tohoku Electric owns and operates Onagawa and Higashidori nuclear stations.

Further news in the general field of nuclear energy in Japan... Minister Kaieda had requested that the mayor of Genkai town allow the restart of Genkai nuclear station in his jurisdiction, and the mayor has indicated that he WILL allow the plant to restart. Genkai is owned and operated by Kyushu Electric Power Company.

Although the sighting of one swallow does not necessarily herald the arrival of Spring, it does appear that the predictions in some quarters that Japan would abandon nuclear energy were incorrect.

10:20 PM Eastern Wednesday June 29, 2011
ATOMIC POWER REVIEW