FACTBOX-CO2 per unit of electricity at 10 Japan power firms

(Refiles to fix headline) (For related story and FACTBOX, click on [ID:nT12835] and [ID:nT261487])

May 14 (Reuters) - The Japanese power industry may nudge nearer its self-imposed CO2 reduction targets in the year to March 2010 from a year earlier as a couple of nuclear reactors are set to resume operations.

In addition, the sector, struggling to cut the amount of carbon it emits in producing a unit of electricity, is widely expected to make a downward adjustment in thermal power from a year earlier to reflect an expected fall in industry activity and thus, electricity sales.

Unlike the Japanese government, which committed itself under the Kyoto Protocol to cut nationwide greenhouse gas emissions by 6 percent versus 1990/1991 levels, the power sector has pledged to curb its carbon intensity: Each firm is to emit 20 percent less CO2 per kilowatt hour than the 1990/1991 levels.

In Japan's first Kyoto year to March 2009, the 10 firms emitted 9.5 percent to 72 percent more CO2 per kilowatt hour than their targets over the five-year period.

The targets are not legally binding, but are a core part of Japan's emission cut plans because all of the power firms consider them as commitments.

Tokyo Electric Power Co (9501.T) is soon to restart the world's biggest nuclear plant, nearly two years after it was damaged in an earthquake.

Hokuriku Electric Power Co (9505.T) said the resumption of one of two reactors at its only nuclear plant recently would cut a third of last fiscal year's CO2 per kilowatt hour.

"If both reactors run safely and steadily, we expect the intensity metric to fall to 0.35 kg in the year to March 2010," from 0.55 kg in 2008/2009, a company spokesman said.

Hokkaido Electric Power Co (9509.T) plans to start running a new, third reactor at its sole nuclear plant in December.

Below is a list of each firm's CO2 emissions in kg per kilowatt hour in the base year of 1990/1991 and in 2008/2009 and its voluntarily set target over the five-year Kyoto period.

1990/91 target 2008/09

Tokyo Electric (9501.T) 0.38 0.30 0.42

Kansai Electric (9503.T) 0.353 0.282 **N.A. (0.366)

Chubu Electric (9502.T) 0.464 0.371 **N.A. (0.470)

Tohoku Electric (9506.T) 0.403 0.322 **N.A. (0.473)