Japan, the world’s third-biggest nuclear power generator
after the United States and France, is stepping up efforts to tap the nuclear
power development market after a Japan-US consortium lost out to South Korea in
a deal to build and operate nuclear reactors for the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
in December. Japan has not yet won a project-based package like the UAE deal in
the nuclear energy sector.
Developing and operating nuclear power plants abroad is a growth strategy
in Japan, where electricity demand is expected to stay flat or rise slightly at
best due to industries shifting abroad and the graying of society. In July, a consortium of six Japanese
utilities and nuclear power machinery makers set up a working group to create a
venture this autumn aimed at winning orders to build nuclear power plants
overseas.
Japan made a similar government-to-government agreement with
Malaysia earlier this month. The accord with Kuwait on sharing know-how on
public acceptance and other expertise brings the total number of such deals
since 2007 to 10, including those with Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Vietnam, UAE and
Jordan. An official at Japan’s
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said Kuwait has been slow to
come up with detailed plans on nuclear power generation. “Unlike Vietnam and Jordan, where
selection of projects is about to start, there are few details available from
Kuwait on its plans such as when, where and how many reactors they need,” the
METI official said.
