Chapter 1 General

1. History of Nuclear Power Plant Development

Since the 1990s various problems have arisen about global environment, such as global warming, destruction of the ozone stratum, etc. It is necessary to continue further efforts to reduce emissions of global warming gases from fossil fuel in the sector of electricity generation, although growth in the demand for electricity generation has recently slowed. In those contexts power generation by wind, solar energy, etc. is drawing more attention. Nevertheless expectations for nuclear energy are still large from the standpoint of the scale of the

energy production scale. Figure 1.1.1 shows the trends in annual power generation in Japan. Nearly one-third of the power is generated by nuclear power plants (NPPs), which contributes to energy security and helps in suppression of global warming.

The history from the early stage of development of peaceful uses of nuclear energy to the current status of improved and enhanced NPPs is accumulation of predecessors’ various hardships. Learning this history may not be such a diversion from purpose for persons who are going to be working in nuclear power generation.

Human beings generated electricity from nuclear

Notes: 1. Petroleum, etc. category includes LPG, other gases and bituminous mixture.

2. Total is not precise because of rounding off.

3. Electric power generation is the total of 10 electric companies.

4. Numbers in the graphics are percentages.

[Source] The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan, Drawing Catalog

Figure 1.1.1 Trends in annual power generations

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thus improved and standardized, aiming at higher economy and reliability from the early years of the steady use, by collaboration of the Japanese government and industries in a body in Japan. As one of the outcomes, the advanced BWR (ABWR; 1,356MW) was developed cooperatively by the US and Japan and 4 ABWR plants were operating as of 2007.

The problems of environmental effects due to global warming gases have become serious in recent years, and the G8 Summit Meeting held in Germany in June 2007 proposed that the emissions of global warming gases should be reduced at least to a half by 2050. The economic growth of developing countries has been remarkable, and by 2030, the world’s energy consumption is expected to increase rapidly to 1.4 to 1.6 times the current consumption, and about 60 % of the increase will be by these countries.

On the other hand, proven reserves of fossil fuel in oil producing countries have been estimated to last for only 30 to 40 years more years. Scrambling for energy sources is becoming keen and energy nationalism is being raised accordingly. In this context, the renaissance of nuclear energy as an energy source is occurring worldwide.

The Japanese Cabinet council set the “Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy” in October 2005, which proposes use of nuclear energy to provide 30 to 40% of the total power generation after 2030, and promotes the nuclear fuel cycle and practical use of fast breeder reactors. A program for a “Nuclear Energy National Plan” was decided in August 2006, which implies preparation of conditions to realize the “Framework for Nuclear Energy Policy”.

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[Source] Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Inc, "World Trends of Nuclear Power Plants”

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