Kansai Electric Power Co. filed an objection on April 17 seeking revocation of a
Kansai Electric Power Co. filed an objection on April 17 seeking revocation of a
The utility also requested that the Fukui District Court suspend the temporary injunction it issued on April 14, saying the order could cause “major economic loss” to the company.
The injunction, which residents in the prefecture and elsewhere had sought over safety concerns, legally bans Kansai Electric from bringing the No. 3 and 4 reactors at the plant back online.
Even if the two reactors pass the remaining safety screenings by the Nuclear Regulation Authority and the utility obtains permission from local governments to restart, it cannot do so unless the injunction is suspended or reversed.
If the district court upholds the decision, the utility plans to appeal it to the Kanazawa branch of Nagoya High Court.
Kansai Electric President Makoto Yagi said at a news conference in Tokyo on April 17 that the company will seek revocation of the injunction as early as possible while making every effort to prove the plant is safe.
Given the stoppage in nuclear power generation across the nation and the increase in imported fuel costs for thermal power plants, Kansai Electric has applied for a second time to the industry ministry for approval to raise household electricity rates.
The price increase was calculated on the premise that the two reactors at the Takahama plant will be brought back online in November.
(This article was written by Hideki Muroya and Koji Nishimura.)