information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
15 Juillet 2015
July 15, 2015
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201507150065
By MASANOBU HIGASHIYAMA/ Staff Writer
An idled reactor operated by Shikoku Electric Power Co. moved closer to restarting July 15 after the Nuclear Regulation Authority gave its blessing to safety measures implemented by the utility.
Although it has cleared a key hurdle in line with stricter safety standards introduced in the aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Shikoku Electric Power will still have to pass equipment screening for its No. 3 reactor at the Ikata nuclear power plant in Ehime Prefecture and gain the consent of local government leaders.
Operations could resume as early as this coming winter.
This marks the third time the NRA has given its approval to new safety measures at nuclear plants. The other instances involved the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors at the Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture operated by Kyushu Electric Power Co. and the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at the Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture operated by Kansai Electric Power Co.
The NRA compiled a draft report on its safety screening at the Ikata reactor in May and received 3,464 public comments that led to revisions in the wording of the report.
The No. 3 reactor uses plutonium-thermal power generation, in which mixed-oxide fuel consisting of plutonium and uranium is used.
One of the largest fault lines in Japan passes close by the plant site. The NRA called on Shikoku Electric Power to raise its estimated intensity of a possible earthquake striking the area during the safety screening because of the proximity of the fault line.
That led, in turn, to the need for a greater number of facilities on the plant site to deal with accidents as well as anti-quake measures for the piping used in the reactor.
The work to implement such measures is expected to take until this autumn.
The NRA will now screen the detailed design of equipment as well as operating procedures.
Neither Ehime Governor Tokihiro Nakamura nor Ikata Mayor Kazuhiko Yamashita have come out with a clear stance on a resumption of operations at the No. 3 reactor.
July 15, 2015
Kyodo
A reactor at an idled nuclear plant owned by Shikoku Electric Power Co. in Ehime Prefecture obtained safety clearance from regulators Wednesday, moving it a step closer to restarting as the government seeks to revive atomic power plants halted in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima crisis.
With the Nuclear Regulation Authority approving Shikoku Electric’s boosted safety measures against possible earthquake and tsunami hazards, the No. 3 unit at the Ikata power station has joined a total of four reactors at two other plants in obtaining safety approval based on more rigorous rules adopted after the triple meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
However, it remains uncertain when the unit will be able to go back online as Shikoku Electric must still obtain the go-ahead from local municipalities and complete the remaining procedures for the NRA safety review before being allowed to resume operations.
Some residents near the plant have voiced concerns that an evacuation plan created by local authorities is not comprehensive enough. As the Ikata complex is located at the base of a very narrow Sada Misaki Peninsula, critics have warned that people living to the west of the plant may be left without an overland escape route in the event of a serious accident.
At the regulator’s behest, Shikoku Electric set tougher quake-resistance safety criteria for the Ikata plant’s facilities and invested heavily in enhancing safety measures, including the construction of a new, quake-proof emergency response facility.
The utility projects that its earnings will improve by around ¥5 billion per month if the 890-megawatt No. 3 unit is reactivated and fossil power generation is reduced.
Japan is preparing for restarting a reactor at Kyushu Electric Power Co.’s Sendai plant as early as mid-August, which will mark the first resumption of a nuclear facility under the more stringent regulations introduced after Fukushima, the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986. It has been nearly two years since any of the nation’s commercial reactors were last online.
Last September, two reactors at the Sendai plant became the first to obtain safety approval from the regulator, followed by two more reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Takahama plant last February.
A total of 25 reactors at 15 plants await safety screening by the watchdog before the resumption of operations can be considered.
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TOKYO (Kyodo) -- An idled nuclear plant owned by Shikoku Electric Power Co. obtained safety clearance from regulators Wednesday, moving it a step closer to restarting as the government seeks to revive Japan's nuclear industry that has been at a standstill following the 2011 Fukushima crisis.
With the Nuclear Regulation Authority approving Shikoku Electric's enhanced safety measures against possible earthquake and tsunami hazards as well as other severe accidents, the No. 3 unit at the Ikata power station has joined a total of four reactors at two other plants in securing safety approval based on more rigorous regulations adopted after the Fukushima meltdowns.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a regular press conference Wednesday the government will "proceed with the restart" of the Ikata reactor based on its basic energy policy that specifies atomic power as a key energy resource.
But it is uncertain when the unit, located in Ehime Prefecture in western Japan, will be able to go back online as Shikoku Electric still needs to obtain the go-ahead from local municipalities and complete remaining procedures for the NRA safety review before being allowed to resume operation.
Some residents living near the plant have voiced concerns that an evacuation plan compiled by local authorities is not comprehensive enough. As the Ikata complex is located at the base of a very narrow peninsula called Sadamisaki, critics have warned that people living to the west of the plant may be left without an overland escape route in the event of a serious accident.
Ehime Gov. Tokihiro Nakamura has not made clear his stance on restarting the plant.
Shikoku Electric projects that its earnings will improve by around 5 billion yen ($40.5 million) per month if the 890-megawatt No. 3 unit is reactivated and fossil fuel power generation is reduced. It hopes to restart the unit as soon as possible but industry observers say it may not happen this year.
At a meeting Wednesday morning, NRA Chairman Shunichi Tanaka instructed regulatory officials to continue their "rigorous review."
Shikoku Electric said in a statement it will "make utmost efforts" to ensure safety of the plant. The utility also plans to make house-to-house visits within a 20-kilometer radius of the nuclear complex to explain its safety measures to the residents.
At the regulator's behest, Shikoku Electric has set tougher quake-resistance safety criteria for the Ikata plant's facilities and invested heavily in enhancing safety measures, including the construction of a new, quake-proof emergency response facility.
Nevertheless, an antinuclear citizens' group based in Ehime criticized the move toward restarting, saying it plans to make an administrative appeal against the nuclear regulators' decision.
The regulators are "underestimating the scale of (possible) earthquakes" that could hit the plant, the group's member Tsukasa Wada said at a press conference in the city of Matsuyama.
Japan is preparing to restart a reactor at Kyushu Electric Power Co.'s Sendai plant as early as mid-August, which will mark the first resumption of a nuclear facility under the more stringent regulations introduced after Fukushima, the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986. It is nearly two years since any of Japan's commercial reactors were last online.
In September last year, two reactors at Kyushu Electric's Sendai plant became the first to obtain safety approval from the regulator, followed by two other reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Takahama plant in February.
A total of 25 reactors at 15 plants are awaiting safety screening by the regulator before resumption of operations can be considered.
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html
Jul. 15, 2015 - Updated 06:54 UTC+2
Japan's nuclear regulators have taken one step further in approving the restart of a nuclear reactor in Ehime Prefecture, western Japan.
They have accepted the plant operator's safety measures, saying they meet the government's new standards.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority unanimously accepted the measures at a regular meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday. This paves the way for Shikoku Electric Power Company to restart the No.3 reactor at its Ikata plant.
The NRA gave a preliminary assessment of the plant's safety in May, and then solicited public opinion.
Critics said the operator's assumption about the magnitude of a possible earthquake was too low, and that measures to prevent a hydrogen explosion were insufficient.
The regulators say they have confirmed that the utility has taken sufficient steps to manage these concerns.
NRA Chairman Shunichi Tanaka says stringent checks will remain in place before issuing final approval.
The No.3 reactor at the Ikata plant is one of 6 the NRA is assessing since the government tightened regulations two years ago.
The Ikata plant will be the third to gain approval to restart a reactor, following the Sendai plant in Kagoshima Prefecture and the Takahama plant in Fukui Prefecture.
Shikoku Electric must still win approval for the design of its equipment, and pass inspections. It also needs local government consent to restart the reactor.
Observers estimate a restart near the end of this year at the earliest.
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