As the Japanese government considers deploying next-generation nuclear power plants, Mitsubishi Heavy plans to develop an “innovative light water reactor” with next-generation technology based on existing light-water reactors, aiming to launch it by the mid-2030s.

The plan kicks off efforts to realise Japan’s new energy policy, which differs from the previous one that precluded the construction of new nuclear plants after the earthquake and tsunami disaster that devastated eastern Japan in March 2011.

Mitsubishi Heavy and Kansai Electric will be joined by Hokkaido Electric Power, Shikoku Electric Power and Kyushu Electric Power. “We have been studying the design of a next-generation, light-water reactor with improved safety and economy, and are working with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries,” said Kansai Electric Power.

The project aims to introduce a reactor based on Mitsubishi Heavy’s pressurised light-water reactor that has been used by the four power utilities. It will produce between 0.6 million and 1.2 million kilowatts of electricity.

The companies are looking to improve the control-rod drive mechanism, which adjusts nuclear reaction, aiming to halve output or bring the reactor back up in 17 minutes – just one-fourth the time it takes with existing reactors.