NRA in Ohma?

Regulator may inspect Ohma plant

      http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20121004_18.html

The Nuclear Regulation Authority will consider an on-site investigation of possible active faults near a nuclear power plant under construction in Aomori Prefecture.

The authority's chairman, Shunichi Tanaka, said on Wednesday that any doubts about the active faults near nuclear plants must be cleared. He said the authority may order the operator, Electric Power Development Company, to reinvestigate possible active faults, if necessary. He also said the authority may decide instead to conduct an on-site investigation of the Ohma plant.

The remarks came just 2 days after the construction of the plant resumed. The work had been suspended in the wake of last year's nuclear disaster in Fukushima.

Electric Power Development Company says there are no active faults under the compound.

But Toyo University Professor Mitsuhisa Watanabe and other experts have pointed out that a gigantic active fault off the coast could trigger the movement of a fault running below the Ohma plant.

The nuclear authority is already planning on-site investigations of 6 nuclear facilities, including the Ohi plant in Fukui Prefecture. The Ohi plant was the first to resume operations since last year's disaster at Fukushima Daiichi.