Kagoshima Governor calls for safety

 March 13, 2014

Governor calls for plant safety guarantee

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140313_31.html 

Kagoshima Prefecture Governor Yuichiro Ito says he will closely monitor the safety screening procedure for the 2 reactors at the Sendai nuclear plant.

Ito was responding to the Nuclear Regulation Authority's decision earlier on Thursday to prioritize the plant in the screening process, a step needed to reactivate its reactors.

He said the key premise for the resumption of operation is ensuring safety. He said the state must guarantee the plant's safety and that a full explanation should be given to residents in open forums to seek their understanding.

The Sendai plant is located on the East China Sea coast, and has 2 pressurized light-water reactors. They started commercial operation in 1984 and 1985.

The plant's operator, Kyushu Electric Power Company, stepped up safety measures following the Fukushima nuclear crisis of 2011.

The utility has deployed 2 emergency power-supply vehicles in case the plant should lose all power sources due to a tsunami. It also acquired 2 large-capacity mobile power generators for use in cooling reactors.

The prefecture is drawing up an anti-disaster plan covering areas within a 30-kilometer radius of the plant. It estimates 220,000 people would have to be evacuated in case of an accident.

Mar. 13, 2014 - Updated 09:37 UTC