NRAP accepts KEPCO's revised assessment

 October 29, 2014

Regulator accepts nuclear plant quake projection

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html

Oct. 29, 2014 - Updated 12:56 UTC+1

The operator of the idled Ohi nuclear power plant in central Japan may be a step closer to its goal of restarting 2 reactors.

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority on Wednesday accepted its revised assessment of the strength of the biggest quake that could possibly strike the plant.

Kansai Electric Power Company had initially devised a scenario with a 700-gal maximum for the 2 Ohi reactors it wants to bring back online. The gal is used to measure ground acceleration in earthquakes. But the NRA rejected the figure as too optimistic.

On Wednesday, the NRA agreed to accept in principle the operator's revision to 856 gals. The revised figure assumes simultaneous movement along 3 fault lines near the plant as well as shallower quakes that could shake the ground even more vigorously.

Kansai Electric says the new earthquake projection would require large-scale reinforcement work at the plant that could take about a year to complete. The authority will next examine projections for tsunami and other eventualities at the Ohi power plant.

A district court in May backed area residents and ordered the operator not to restart 2 reactors at the Ohi plant. The utility has appealed the ruling.

The nuclear regulator has already approved under new regulations earthquake projections at 3 other nuclear plants.