nuclear-news

Japan postponing decision on restarting nuclear reactors

Japan holds off on decision to restart reactors   
* PM wants Fukushima accident taken into account on safety standard
* Safety concerns run deep, local govts want new measures 
By Risa Maeda, TOKYO, April 3 (Reuters) – Japan needs more time to decide whether to restart two offline nuclear reactors, the trade minister said on Tuesday, as concerns about a summer power crunch vie with safety worries in the wake of last year’s Fukushima crisis.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will not make any immediate decision on a restart date, Trade Minister Yukio Edano, who holds the energy
portfolio, told reporters……   “It will take some time to obtain
the understanding of the public including the locals….”   The
nuclear safety watchdog will compile the standard and present it at
the next round of the ministers’ meeting to discuss the restarts of
the No.3 and No.4 reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co’s Ohi plant,
Edano said……
Japan’s defences against another major tsunami and the safety of its
nuclear plants were thrown into further doubt after two official
studies released at the weekend predicted much higher waves could hit
and that Tokyo quake damage could be bigger than it was prepared for.
(Additional reporting by Yoko Kubota, Osamu Tsukimori and Nobuhiro
Kubo; Editing by Linda Sieg and Nick Macfie)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/03/japan-power-nuclear-idUSL3E8F36EU20120403

April 4, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, safety