Regional collaboration on development for a multi-purpose nuclear energy supply system

Hokkaido is one of the four largest island of Japan located in the northern, most of the area, where the atmospheric temperature goes lower than the other area in winter. Thus, an average energy consumption per capita is larger in amount during cold seasons. Nowadays this energy is supplied by fossil fuels. On the other hand, problem of the green house gas emission should be controlled as much as possible in order to avoid global warming. From this point of view, the authors have discussed with local people on the possibility to utilize nuclear clean energy in the daily life in Hokkaido district. Recently some leaders in local towns become interested to such activities and they want information about nuclear energy and related systems. It is a very good chance for us to exchange information on nuclear energy with regards to public acceptance, fears of nuclear power or radiation, the extent of satisfaction to be sure for construction of urban nuclear plants and requirements for such plants. We prepared technical presentation materials and visited a selected towns and continued discussion in various aspects. For example, proposal of a proto type design concept of a small reactor, safety, heat energy supply system, radiological waste disposal, radiation protection and so on. The audience was mainly representatives of the towns firstly and gradually ordinal people also attended the meetings. Based on the information, it could be expected to establish a concept for such district energy supply system. In the paper, some examples and results through these activities are presented. (author)