Oma plant ready in 2021?

November 13, 2014

J-Power plans to start operating Oma nuclear power plant in fiscal 2021

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20141113p2a00m0na004000c.html

AOMORI -- Electric Power Development Co., known as J-Power, notified local municipalities on Nov. 13 of its plan to start operating the Oma Nuclear Power Plant currently under construction in the Aomori Prefecture town of Oma in fiscal 2021.

It is the first time the electricity wholesaler has shown the plan to local governments in Oma and its vicinity. J-Power also reported to municipal governments that it would work out safety measures to raise the so-called "design basis earthquake ground motion" -- the maximum ground motion assumed and required for earthquake-resistant design -- from the current 450 gal to 650 gal, as well as to raise the assumed maximum height of tsunami from 4.4 meters to 6.3 meters.

J-Power President Masayoshi Kitamura attended a special committee meeting of the Oma Municipal Assembly on the morning of Nov. 13. He explained that his company had revised its plan for the completion of the Oma nuclear plant from "undecided" to December 2020. He then said his company would apply with the Nuclear Regulation Authority for safety screening of the nuclear power plant as early as the end of this year. Kitamura subsequently reported the plan to the neighboring villages of Sai and Kazamaura. He is to visit the Aomori Prefectural Government on the afternoon of Nov. 13. At the same time, a senior official of J-Power would also explain the plan to the Hokkaido Government and the Hakodate Municipal Government.