24 May (NucNet): Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) has confirmed that the Ohi-3 and -4 nuclear units in Fukui Prefecture, southwest Japan, have passed safety examinations and could be restarted in autumn 2017, the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (Jaif) said on 24 May 2017.
Kansai Electric Power Company, which owns and operates Ohi, still needs several approvals, including from the prefectural authorities and the local municipality, before the units can be restarted, Jaif said.
Ohi-3 is a 1,127-MW pressurised water reactor that began commercial operation in 1991. Ohi-4, also a 1,127-MW PWR, began commercial operation in 1993.
All seven nuclear units for which Kansai Electric had filed safety applications have now been approved by the NRA as meeting new regulatory standards introduced following the March 2011 Fukushima-Daiichi accident.
The units are Ohi-3 and -4, Takahama-1, 2, -3 and -4 and Mihama-3, all in Fukui Prefecture. Kansai Electric is preparing to file applications for its Ohi-1 and -2 units, Jaif said.
Following the restart of Takahama-4 last week there are four nuclear power reactors operating in Japan out of the 42 operable ones. The other three are Sendai-1, Sendai-2 and Ikata-3. All of Japan’s reactors were shut between 2011 and 2012 under a political decision taken in the aftermath of the Fukushima-Daiichi accident. According to Jaif, 12 nuclear units at six sites have now been approved as meeting new regulatory standards introduced following the accident.
