Plans for third reactor at Sendai

08 January 2009

A new large reactor could be built on Japan's southern island of Kyushu after plans announced today.

 

Kyushu Electric Power Company released documents describing its plans for a 1590 MWe Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor (APWR) to be constructed at the company's existing Sendai site by 2019. Construction of the unit, designed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, is expected to begin in 2013, following a tender to lead the job to be announced soon.

 

Sendai
Sendai nuclear power plant, from the beach

 

An environmental impact assessment of the potential new reactor was completed in December 2008.

 

Kushu attached a figure of ¥540 billion ($5.9 billion) to the project, which would see a the new unit built alongside two existing PWRs. Generating 890 MWe each, Sendai 1 and 2 started up in 1984 and 1985 respectively.

 

One other APWR is planned for Japan Atomic Power Company's Tsuruga power plant, while a US version of the design was presented to safety regulators last year. A version for the EU is also under development.