5 THE POLITICS OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANT RESTARTS …
117
the maximum that a government panel had estimated Kyushu EPCO’s
grid could handle without curtailment (Asahi Shimbun 2018a; Tsukimori
2018). Kyushu EPCO curtailed solar PV four times in October, curtailing
1.3% of solar PV generated electricity, and in four more instances in
November (including for the first-time wind power), for a total of 8 times
in 2018 (Yamashita 2018).
Although METI found these curtailments to comply with its regulations, Kyushu EPCO received protests from citizens’ groups who
argued that renewable energy should have priority over nuclear energy
(Tanaka 2018), and criticism from the governor of Saga prefecture, who
demanded Kyushu EPCO expand their investment in storage batteries
and grid improvements to facilitate greater use of renewable energy
(Sugiura and Kuroda 2019). Despite these first cases of curtailment,
which had been announced months in advance, solar PV continued to
grow at a healthy clip in Kyushu, with 50 MW of new capacity being
added on average per month (Yamashita 2018). ANRE responded to the
curtailments by formulating a plan with OCCTO to expand grid capacity
for sending excess solar PV electricity from Kyushu to Chugoku and other
service regions (Asahi Shimbun 2018b). 18 One option that ANRE and
METI have not so far pursued is to respond to proposals from South
Korea for building an interconnector between Kyushu and South Korea.
Beyond enhancing energy security in western Japan, this could create a
significant export market for “excess” solar PV and wind power from
Kyushu.
In March 2019, curtailment of solar PV in Kyushu reached 6.8%, and
curtailment of wind reached 1.4% of total generation. A year later, during
the COVID19 pandemic, and before the shutdown of two reactors, when
electricity demand dropped significantly, curtailment reached 12.3% for
solar and 12.7% for wind. By contrast, neighboring Shikoku, with no
operating nuclear power plants, had no curtailment during March 2019
or 2020, and during solar peaks on several days in April and May solar
PV there supplied more than 80% (up to 88%) of electricity demand (REI
2020).
Retail Electricity Market Liberalization
Another major electricity sector reform was implemented in April 2016
with the opening of Japan’s retail market to competition. Over 200
companies registered in advance as electricity suppliers to compete against
117
the maximum that a government panel had estimated Kyushu EPCO’s
grid could handle without curtailment (Asahi Shimbun 2018a; Tsukimori
2018). Kyushu EPCO curtailed solar PV four times in October, curtailing
1.3% of solar PV generated electricity, and in four more instances in
November (including for the first-time wind power), for a total of 8 times
in 2018 (Yamashita 2018).
Although METI found these curtailments to comply with its regulations, Kyushu EPCO received protests from citizens’ groups who
argued that renewable energy should have priority over nuclear energy
(Tanaka 2018), and criticism from the governor of Saga prefecture, who
demanded Kyushu EPCO expand their investment in storage batteries
and grid improvements to facilitate greater use of renewable energy
(Sugiura and Kuroda 2019). Despite these first cases of curtailment,
which had been announced months in advance, solar PV continued to
grow at a healthy clip in Kyushu, with 50 MW of new capacity being
added on average per month (Yamashita 2018). ANRE responded to the
curtailments by formulating a plan with OCCTO to expand grid capacity
for sending excess solar PV electricity from Kyushu to Chugoku and other
service regions (Asahi Shimbun 2018b). 18 One option that ANRE and
METI have not so far pursued is to respond to proposals from South
Korea for building an interconnector between Kyushu and South Korea.
Beyond enhancing energy security in western Japan, this could create a
significant export market for “excess” solar PV and wind power from
Kyushu.
In March 2019, curtailment of solar PV in Kyushu reached 6.8%, and
curtailment of wind reached 1.4% of total generation. A year later, during
the COVID19 pandemic, and before the shutdown of two reactors, when
electricity demand dropped significantly, curtailment reached 12.3% for
solar and 12.7% for wind. By contrast, neighboring Shikoku, with no
operating nuclear power plants, had no curtailment during March 2019
or 2020, and during solar peaks on several days in April and May solar
PV there supplied more than 80% (up to 88%) of electricity demand (REI
2020).
Retail Electricity Market Liberalization
Another major electricity sector reform was implemented in April 2016
with the opening of Japan’s retail market to competition. Over 200
companies registered in advance as electricity suppliers to compete against