Promises of safety

March 5, 2014

Tokai plant operator promises safety explanation

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20140305_28.html

A nuclear power plant operator north of Tokyo has promised nearby local municipalities that it will explain its safety measures before applying for screening to restart operations.

The promise came in a rare memorandum intended to address public concerns on nuclear safety after the Fukushima Daiichi accident.

The head of Japan Atomic Power Company, which runs Tokai No.2 nuclear power station, shared the note with representatives of 11 municipalities near the plant on Wednesday.

The memorandum calls for briefing the municipalities prior to any application for safety screening. It also says the application must win the approval of the 6 municipalities closest to the plant.

The municipalities had demanded the memorandum. It is unusual for a nuclear plant operator to exchange such a document with local governments other than the one hosting the plant.

The utility apparently agreed to the demand as restarting Tokai No.2 plant has become a priority while its other plant in central Japan remains on hold due to underlying active faults.

Japan Atomic Power hopes to apply for safety screening as early as the end of this month after finishing its explanation to the municipalities.

But a restart still looks uncertain, as most of the municipalities lack evacuation plans in the event of a nuclear emergency. Nearly 1 million people live within a 30-kilometer radius of the plant.