JiJi Kyodo reports that the nuclear plant operated by Kyushu Electric Power Co. obtained a safety clearance from regulators Wednesday, becoming the first to meet new regulations imposed following the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. With the approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority, the two reactors at the Sendai power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture moved a step closer to restarting. Currently all of the 48 commercial reactors are offline.
The pro-nuclear government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is eager to bring reactors back online amid a surge in fossil fuel costs for thermal power generation, which has made up for the absence of atomic power. A restart of the Sendai plant, however, is not likely to happen before December, 2014, as Kyushu Electric must still finish paperwork needed to complete the NRA screening process. The regional utility must also obtain consent from local authorities and undergo on-site operational checks. The watchdog decision-making panel approved the final version of its screening report, which included public comments.
Original URL: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/09/10/national/kagoshima-nuclear-plant-gets-safety-ok-moves-closer-to-resumption/
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