Photo/Illutration Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki speaks at the Hokkaido assembly on Nov. 28. (Tetsuaki Otaki)

SAPPORO—Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki on Nov. 28 said he would allow the resumption of operations at the Tomari nuclear plant’s No. 3 reactor.

Suzuki’s statement to the Hokkaido assembly came after the reactor passed a safety screening by the Nuclear Regulation Authority and consent was given by the mayors of Tomari, which hosts the nuclear plant, and three other municipalities in the area.

The governor is expected to visit Tomari and the nuclear plant and allow further discussions within the Hokkaido assembly before formally announcing his approval early in December.

Hokkaido Electric Power Co., operator of the nuclear plant, aims to resume operations in 2027 after construction of a tide embankment is completed.

That is the same year Rapidus Corp., Japan’s leading semiconductor startup, plans to open a factory in Chitose, Hokkaido.

Hokkaido Electric forecasts huge savings from restarting the Tomari plant and reducing use of its thermal plants that are increasingly expensive to run due to higher fuel costs.

The utility said it could improve its balance sheet by 60 billion yen ($384 million) over the course of a year.

Hokkaido has the highest electricity rates in the nation, with families spending an average of 9,335 yen a month for power.

But Hokkaido Electric said families would see a monthly decrease of about 1,000 yen in their bills once the Tomari plant resumed operations.

(This article was written by Kentaro Uechi and Tetsuaki Otaki.)

Related News