From the Sydney Morning Herald:
The Japanese government is moving to speed up the environmental
assessment process for new coal-fired power plants as its power sector
struggles with a surging energy bill in the wake of the forced idling of
much of the country's nuclear power plants following the Fukushima
power plant meltdown in 2011.
At present, it can take up to four years for approvals for new plants to be processed.
According to Japanese media reports, the government intends
to make 12 months the maximum period for assessing and approving new
coal-fired power plants as its utilities seek to develop more power
stations to stem surging energy supply bills.
The closure of much of the country's nuclear power capacity
following Fukushima has forced the utilities to restart idled oil-fired
power plants, which has pushed up energy bills significantly since oil
is the most expensive fuel source.
And with the government considering the closure of much of the
installed nuclear capacity over the medium term, the spotlight is back
on coal as the cheapest energy source, notwithstanding plans to cut
carbon emissions.
A commitment to slice 2020 carbon emissions by 25 per cent
from their 1990 level will be revised by October, according to Japanese
newspaper reports....MORE
