Abstract
A number of nuclear power plants have been successfully constructed and operating in Japan. The nuclear-generated electricity is expected to be increasing constantly and to account for 42% of total electricity supply in FY 2010, which is now about 30%. Since about 40% of the primary energy supply is consumed for the electricity production in Japan, the nuclear energy would account for only 20% of the primary energy supply even if the nuclear-generated electricity could account for 50% of the total electricity supply. In order to preserve the global environment and to secure the stable energy supply, it is most effective to increase the use of the nuclear energy. However, considering the situation described above, if the nuclear energy is applied only to electricity generation, the effect is limited. Therefore, it is necessary to utilize the nuclear energy to wide filed other than the electric power generation. This is very important especially in Japan where most of the energy supply depends on imported fossil fuels and in the developing countries where the energy demand is increasing rapidly.
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