Ikata No.3 reactor: commercial operations to resume end of August

June 30, 2016

Ikata looks to fire up MOX-fueled Ehime reactor around Aug. 25

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/06/30/national/ikata-looks-fire-mox-fueled-ehime-reactor-around-aug-25/#.V3TEHaJdeov

JIJI

MATSUYAMA, EHIMA PREF. – Shikoku Electric Power Co. is considering launching commercial operations of its reactor 3 at the Ikata nuclear power plant in Ehime Prefecture around Aug. 25, later than mid-August as initially planned, sources told Jiji Press on Wednesday.

The company reviewed the schedule to provide more time for a preuse inspection by regulators that is necessary for reactivating the reactor, the sources said.

At reactor 3, Shikoku Electric finished loading 157 fuel assemblies, including 16 units of mixed oxide, or MOX, fuel, a blend of uranium and plutonium extracted from spent nuclear fuel, on Monday.

The company plans to resume operations of the reactor as early as July 26 if no major troubles are found in safety checks.

Reactor 3 was shut down in April 2011 for a routine safety inspection.

Shikoku Electric expects the reactor to improve its earnings by some ¥25 billion annually after it begins commercial operations.