The nation's nuclear watchdog effectively gave the green light May 20 to restart a reactor at a third nuclear power plant.
The nation's nuclear watchdog effectively gave the green light May 20 to restart a reactor at a third nuclear power plant.
The decision applies to the No. 3 reactor at the Ikata nuclear power plant in Ehime Prefecture operated by Shikoku Electric Power Co.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority introduced stricter safety standards after the triple meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant triggered by the earthquake and tsunami disaster in March 2011.
All nuclear power plants in Japan have been shut down due to the disaster.
It has already assessed that the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors at the Sendai plant in Kagoshima Prefecture, as well as the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors of the Takahama plant in Fukui Prefecture, comply with the new regulations.
The latest decision, presented in a 427-page draft report the NRA drew up on its safety screening, will be finalized as early as July after it invites public opinion on technical issues. The public will have 30 days from May 21 to offer input.
Shikoku Electric will not likely be able to resume operations at the plant this year because the NRA still needs to inspect equipment, a process that is expected to take at least three months.
In addition, work to upgrade the facility will also likely continue until the fall.
Thus, the earliest the reactor can reasonably be expected to restart is this winter, assuming that the plant operator smoothly completes the necessary administrative procedures to gain formal final approval and wins consent from Ehime Prefecture and Ikata town.
Shikoku Electric plans to restart the reactor using plutonium-thermal power generation, in which mixed-oxide fuel consisting of plutonium and uranium is used.
The NRA began its screening process in response to Shikoku Electric’s application submitted in July 2013, and concluded the utility’s preparations for earthquakes and tsunami, as well as other measures to guard against severe accidents, meet the new safety regulations.