Nuclear Reactor Restarts in Japan Have Lowered LNG Imports for Electrical energy Era

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After the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident, Japan suspended operations in any respect of its remaining 48 nuclear energy reactors by 2013 and relied nearly solely on imported pure gasoline to interchange the misplaced electrical energy technology. In 2015, Japan allowed its first nuclear energy reactor to renew operations. As of December 2022, 11 gigawatts (GW) of Japan’s nuclear capability have returned to service, which lowered liquefied pure gasoline (LNG) imports for electrical energy technology.

Since 2015, growing nuclear technology has been changing technology from fossil gasoline sources in Japan, primarily pure gasoline. In 2022, Japan’s LNG imports declined by 15%, or 1.7 billion cubic ft per day (Bcf/d), in contrast with 2015, and we count on LNG imports into Japan to proceed declining. In 2023, Japan restarted Takahama Items 1 and a pair of, including about 1.6 GW. Japan additionally handed the GX Decarbonization Energy Provide Invoice final 12 months to determine a decarbonized electrical energy system, designating nuclear energy as the principle part of the nation’s baseload electrical energy.

Nuclear restarts have been gradual since 2015. Japan has restarted 12 models, bringing at the moment working nuclear capability to 11 GW. Japan has 10 extra models beneath evaluate and 5 extra which have handed evaluate however have but to restart.

Japan centered on restarting pressurized boiling water reactors versus boiling water reactors out of public security issues. The six-unit Fukushima Daiichi plant, a boiling water reactor facility, is being decommissioned together with its sister plant, Fukushima Daini.

Vitality sources are scarce in Japan, and it imports many of the fossil gasoline it makes use of for electrical energy technology. In 2022, fossil fuels accounted for 71% of technology, with pure gasoline accounting for 35% of that share. Japan’s LNG imports have declined as extra nuclear reactors have restarted. After Japan restarted 5 nuclear reactors in 2018, Japan’s LNG imports declined by 7% (0.7 Bcf/d) in 2019 and by one other 7% (0.7 Bcf/d) between 2019 and 2022.

Japan has a big portfolio of long-term LNG contracts, which provide as much as 90% of Japan’s LNG imports every year. The remaining share of imports is equipped beneath short-term and spot contracts from as many as 20 nations (together with re-exporters).

Australia has been Japan’s largest LNG provider for 11 years; its share of Japan’s complete LNG imports greater than doubled from 18% in 2012 to 42% in 2023. Qatar—which was ranked second in 2012—is now the seventh-largest LNG provider to Japan. Qatar offered 4% of Japan’s LNG imports final 12 months, down from 18% in 2012, partly as a result of a few of Japan’s long-term contracts with Qatar expired. In 2023, Malaysia was Japan’s second-largest LNG provider, accounting for 16% (1.4 Bcf/d) of LNG imports. Nevertheless, in 2012, earlier than Australia took its long-standing prime spot, Malaysia equipped 19% of Japan’s LNG imports and was the most important provider. Different vital LNG suppliers in 2023 included Russia at 9% (0.8 Bcf/d), america at 8% (0.7 Bcf/d), and Papua New Guinea at 6% (0.5 Bcf/d).

Yow will discover extra details about Japan on EIA’s Worldwide net web page.

Principal contributors: Slade Johnson, Jonathan Russo, Victoria Zaretskaya
Information visualization: Jonathan Russo

Courtesy of U.S. EIA.