Niigata village says no to MOX fuel use at nuke plant

KARIWA -- A majority of residents of the village of Kariwa in Niigata Prefecture objected Sunday to a plan to use plutonium-uranium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel at a local nuclear power plant, in Japan's first plebiscite on use of the controversial fuel, early returns showed.

Although the referendum is not legally binding, the residents' opposition to the plan by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) to introduce the fuel at the No. 3 reactor of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant is expected to have a significant impact on the government and power companies' policy of promoting nuclear power.

The plant is the world's largest in terms of nuclear power generation, producing 8.21 million kilowatts a year and meeting 20 percent of the total electricity demand of TEPCO, which serves the greater Tokyo area.