The Japanese power industry proposed to start pluthermal generation at 16 to 18 reactors across the country by fiscal 2010, which ends in March 2011, but only three reactors at three nuclear plants are set to launch it for now.
Pluthermal generation involves the use of uranium and plutonium mixed oxide fuel at nuclear power plants. Plutonium extracted by reprocessing spent nuclear fuel is utilized in MOX fuel.
The Japan Atomic Energy Commission has also shown its interest to review the plan for introducing pluthermal generation by fiscal 2010.
Kyushu Electric Power Co. has planned to launch plutonium-thermal generation in November. Shikoku Electric Power Co. also plans to fuel its reactor with MOX in January and Chubu Electric Power Co. in the summer of 2010 at the earliest. All the three companies have collectively transported MOX fuel from France
Other power companies, including Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Kansai Electric Power Co., are behind schedule in obtaining the fuel or gaining approval from the state or local authority to initiate their plans.
As a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori Prefecture is still under trial operation, Japan has depended on Britain and France in reprocessing used nuclear fuel for many years.
