Hokuriky Electric doesn't agree with experts' report

July 17, 2015

Hokuriku Electric doubts experts' assessment

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20150717_36.html

Jul. 17, 2015 - Updated 13:04 UTC+2

The president of Hokuriku Electric Power Company has expressed doubt about an expert panel's draft report that could lead to decommissioning of one of the firm's nuclear reactors in central Japan.

Yutaka Kanai said on Friday that he believes his company conducted detailed surveys and proved that a fault under the No.1 reactor of the Shika plant is not active.

But he said it's disappointing that experts of the Nuclear Regulation Authority have not agreed.

Kanai said he thinks the experts did not comprehensively consider the firm's survey results, and made their conclusion based on hypothetical calculations and assumptions.

He said his company will consider presenting more data and give a thorough explanation to the NRA.

Executive Vice President Akizumi Nishino said the firm does not agree with the report and is not considering decommissioning the reactor.

The report says there's no clear evidence that the fault is active. But it says strata above its northwestern part may have moved during or after a period between 120,000 and 130,000 years ago.