Four Japanese nuclear companies have formally applied for government
approval to restart dozens of power plants. Almost all of the country’s
nuclear plants were shut down following the Fukushima disaster two years
ago.
The move, announced by the four nuclear operators on Monday, is seen as
the first step toward Japan's returning to the use of power in a big way
since the meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi power station in March
2011. Prior to the disaster, in which all but two of the country's 50
plants were shut down, Japan relied on nuclear power for about one-third
of its electricity needs .According to Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), the Hokkaido Electric Power Company, Kansai Electric Power, Shikoku Electric Power and Kyushu Electric Power have applied to reopen a total of 10 reactors. However, officials said the process of reviewing the facilities to ensure that they meet the country's safety standards would take at least six months.
No guarantee
There is also no guarantee that they will be allowed to open even if they win the NRA's approval. Under tougher new nuclear regulations introduced following the Fukushima disaster, politicians at the regional or national level have the power to block the reopening of any given nuclear plant.
The company that ran the Daiichi plant, Tokyo Electric Power, has held off submitting an application to restart reactors at its Kashiwazaki Kariwa facility in light of opposition from local authorities.
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(Editor's note)
Mr. Tanaka also repeatedly commented that he wouldn't interfere with the Japanese Government's political decision over continued operation of Ohi nuclear power plants and the operation of Ohma reactor once it's built. He
let J-Power to have restarted to build Ohma reactor, new MOX fuel reactor, in Aomori prefecture in Last October even if it
wasn't scientifically proved that it's safe to build on the site in the
wake of Fukushima nuclear disaster.
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