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Oi reactors will be idled if fault under them is active, new nuclear safety chief warns, Japan Times, 1 Aug 12, Kyodo The man nominated to head the new atomic regulatory authority said Wednesday he expects the two reactors at the Oi nuclear plant in Fukui Prefecture to halt operations should there be any active fault found underneath them.

Shunichi Tanaka, former vice chairman of the Japan Atomic Energy
Commission, made the remark about reactors 3 and 4 of the Kansai
Electric Power Co. plant after they were restarted last month despite
public safety concerns nationwide.

Before the two Oi reactor restarts, all 50 remaining workable
commercial reactors nationwide had eventually shut down because of a
stricter inspection regimen initiated amid the triple-meltdown
disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant and the strong public
attitude against atomic power.

“If there is an active fault, we’ll naturally have (the reactors)
stopped,” Tanaka said during a Diet session, while being questioned by
members of the Lower House Steering Committee. His appointment must be
confirmed by both Diet chambers.

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency in July told Kepco to
reinvestigate whether an active fault exists beneath the Oi plant
following safety experts’ warnings about such risks.

Tanaka, an expert in radiation physics, vowed the new regulatory body
will be more involved in investigating whether there is a fault under
the Oi plant and not simply rely on utilities to probe the
matter……
Tanaka also said he is committed to upholding the government policy to
basically limit the operation of nuclear reactors to 40 years.

“This system is needed to ensure the safety of old power plants,” he
told the Diet session. “We should strictly check nuclear reactors and
take the stance of not allowing those older than 40 years to
operate.”He said Wednesday his Fukushima roots could have a
significant impact if he is appointed.

“You will have to excuse me because I may impose very strict
regulations,” he said.

Tanaka has been an adviser for decontamination work in the city of
Date and village of Iitate.

Four others to fill key posts in the new regulatory authority also
need Diet approval. They are Kenzo Oshima, a former ambassador to the
U.N.; Kunihiko Shimazaki, head of the Coordinating Committee for
Earthquake Prediction; Kayoko Nakamura of the Japan Radioisotope
Association; and Toyoshi Fuketa of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120801x2.html

August 2, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, safety