FUKUSHIMA--Fukushima Governor Yuhei Sato on Nov. 30 said he will ask Tokyo Electric Power Co. and the central government to decommission all nuclear reactors in the prefecture.
FUKUSHIMA--Fukushima Governor Yuhei Sato on Nov. 30 said he will ask Tokyo Electric Power Co. and the central government to decommission all nuclear reactors in the prefecture.
The request will be included in the prefectural government's plan on recovering from the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake to be worked out by the end of this year.
The prefectural government does not have the power to decommission nuclear reactors on its own, but the governor's stance could make it impossible to operate all 10 reactors in the prefecture. Although not required by law, the governor's approval is generally seen as needed to restart nuclear reactors.
Sato is the first governor to seek a decommissioning of all reactors in a prefecture since the crisis started at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March.
"The accidents have had (adverse) influences on all aspects, such as nature, society and education, failing to offset the financial benefits brought by the operation of nuclear power plants in our prefecture," Sato said.
TEPCO has already decided to decommission the four reactors at the No. 1 plant that were heavily damaged by hydrogen explosions and other problems. The utility has yet to decide what to do with two other reactors at the plant that were offline when the tsunami hit. It has also not made a decision about the four reactors at the Fukushima No. 2 nuclear power plant.
In its recovery policies released in August, the Fukushima prefectural government said it aims to establish a nuclear-free society. In October, the Fukushima prefectural assembly adopted a petition that seeks a decommissioning of all nuclear reactors in the prefecture.
Some municipalities that host nuclear power plants have expressed concerns that decommissioning the reactors could negatively affect their economies.
But Sato said that under the current situation, a resumption of operations at the six reactors that did not suffer damage in the March 11 disaster would be impossible.
The prefectural government has yet to present a recovery plan for a case in which all 10 reactors are decommissioned, including measures to secure employment and financial resources.
However, it plans to ask the central government for support, such as a special measures law to nurture natural energy industries and secure financial resources for local governments.