WCA September 2012

Industry news

Japan to restart nuclear plants after tsunami

Japan has begun the process of getting its nuclear energy sector back online, starting with two nuclear reactors at Oi in Fukushima.

The work follows a directive to Kansai Electric Power from Japanese PM Yoshihiko Noda, with the aim to avoid power shortages during the summer.

Each Oi nuclear plant has a capacity of 1,180MW energy and the restart could reduce LNG usage by 180,000t per month, as reported by Reuters. Oil analyst Alex Yap is reported to have told Reuters that the restarting of nuclear reactors will make a huge impact in reducing oil demand, which is expected to rise in the next few months when power demand is higher. While many remain sceptical of nuclear reactors in the wake of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami damage, Japan has already drawn plans to bring up more reactors in the near future – the two Hokkaido Electric Power Co reactors in Tomari, northern Japan and the No.2 reactor at the Shika station operated by Hokuriku Electric Power Co in western Japan are expected to be restarted soon. Japan has 50 nuclear reactors, all of which have been offline since May 2011. Nuclear energy accounts for a third of Japan’s energy needs.

Iran has announced the discovery of new copper mines with 7 million tons of proven reserves, significantly increasing the country’s copper reserves. “Numerous mines have been discovered in the exploration drillings and Iran’s copper reserves have increased from 14 million tons to 21 million tons,” Ali Mohammadi, manager of Iran’s Sarcheshmeh Copper Complex, told the press. He added that Iran plans to carry out over 200,000 metres of exploratory drilling in the current Iranian year. Iran owns three per cent of the world’s copper reservoirs and is the largest copper producer in the Middle East. The country produced 235,000 tons of copper during the last Iranian year (ending March 2012). Managing director of the National Iranian Copper Industries Company Ardeshir Saad Mohammadi said that NICICo plans to set up two plants for producing copper concentrate before the end of the current Iranian year. He estimated that the total amount of copper ore processing from mines amounted to 124 million tons last year and will rise to 200 million tons this year. Iran increases copper reserves

National Iranian Copper Industries Company – Iran Website : www.nicico.com

Hokuriku Electric Power Co – Japan Website : www.rikuden.co.jp

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Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2012

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