Major Japanese power companies conclude agreements with European Firms on MOX-fuel fabrication

Through Japanese heavy machinery manufacturers, Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Kansai Electric Power Co. have concluded the contracts with the firms in Belgium and the U.K., respectively, to fabricate mixed oxide (MOX) fuel using the plutonium extracted from Japanese spent fuel by reprocessing in BNFL of the U.K. and COGEMA of France. The plutonium extracted by reprocessing in Europe is fabricated into MOX fuel in Europe, then the fuel is returned to Japan by sea, and burned in light water reactors. These agreements mark the first step in this plan. The use of plutonium for LWRs which is called for in the 'Long term nuclear development and utilization plan' is scheduled to begin in the latter 1990s. Moreover, the discussion on nuclear disaster prevention measures started by the government, the resumption of operation of Mihama No. 1 plant in Kansai Electric Co., the basic reactor experiment simulator developed by CRC Research Institute Inc., the total construction costs spent for Japanese nuclear power plants as of fiscal year 1994 amounted to about 11 trillion yen, the information exchange agreement concluded by Japan Atomic Power Co. and Electricite de France and others are reported. (K.I.)