Japan nuclear plant usage rises to 4-month high

The average nuclear power plant
utilisation rate at Japan's 10 nuclear power companies rose to a
four-month high of 62.5 percent in December, government data
showed on Friday, amid signs that utilities coordinated their
operations to meet rising demand in the peak winter season.

The average run rate for calendar 2008 was 58.0 percent, the
lowest since 57.4 percent in 2003, an official with the Ministry
of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) said.

Japan's nuclear usage has remained relatively low after Tokyo
Electric Power Co (TEPCO) (9501.T), Japan's top utility, shut
down its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, the world's
biggest, after a major earthquake in July 2007.

Higher nuclear usage helps curb consumption of costly thermal
power energy, such as oil, coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The December run rate compared with 58.9 percent a year
earlier and was the highest since 71.4 percent in August 2008.
The run rate for calendar 2007 was 64.4 percent.

Nine Japanese utilities and an electricity wholesaler, Japan
Atomic Power Co, have 55 nuclear power generators for commercial
use, with a total generating capacity of 49,315 megawatts, the
world's third highest.

The following is a list of nuclear power generators and the
nuclear power plant utilisation rate for December, the three
months ended in December, and calendar 2008, based on the METI
data.

December2008

Company Run rate (%)

Hokkaido Electric Power Co (9509.T) 74.6

Tohoku Electric Power Co (9506.T) 59.1

Tokyo Electric Power Co (9501.T) 42.8

Chubu Electric Power Co (9502.T) 46.4

Hokuriku Electric Power Co (9505.T) 69.1

Kansai Electric Power Co (9503.T) 91.9

Chugoku Electric Power Co (9504.T) 36.7

Shikoku Electric Power Co (9507.T) 102.0

Kyushu Electric Power Co (9508.T) 85.4

Japan Atomic Power Co 43.2

October-December 2008

Company Run rate (%)

Hokkaido Electric Power Co (9509.T) 59.1

Tohoku Electric Power Co (9506.T) 74.9

Tokyo Electric Power Co (9501.T) 42.2

Chubu Electric Power Co (9502.T) 46.3

Hokuriku Electric Power Co (9505.T) 69.1

Kansai Electric Power Co (9503.T) 75.1

Chugoku Electric Power Co (9504.T) 36.6

Shikoku Electric Power Co (9507.T) 81.8

Kyushu Electric Power Co (9508.T) 86.2

Japan Atomic Power Co 48.4

January-December 2008

Company Run rate (%)

Hokkaido Electric Power Co (9509.T) 63.6

Tohoku Electric Power Co (9506.T) 71.4

Tokyo Electric Power Co (9501.T) 43.2

Chubu Electric Power Co (9502.T) 57.6

Hokuriku Electric Power Co (9505.T) 41.8

Kansai Electric Power Co (9503.T) 66.9

Chugoku Electric Power Co (9504.T) 69.0

Shikoku Electric Power Co (9507.T) 84.2

Kyushu Electric Power Co (9508.T) 81.0

Japan Atomic Power Co 44.2

(Source: Reuters)