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Japan’s nuclear regulator to provide daily information on condition of 4 nuclear facilities near earthquake region

NRA to issue nuclear plant info every day amid quake concerns, Japan Times 19 Apr 16    KYODO  The Nuclear Regulation Authority said Tuesday it will begin providing information every day on the safety of four nuclear plants located around the region hit by the series of earthquakes that started last week.

The nuclear watchdog will update information on the condition of the Sendai, Genkai, Ikata and Shimane nuclear plants and radiation levels around them at 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. every day to address public concerns………

The only two commercial reactors currently operating in Japan are at the Sendai complex in Kagoshima Prefecture. The facility is operated by Kyushu Electric Power Co.

Until now, the NRA has not provided such information to the public unless an earthquake measuring at least lower 5 on the Japanese intensity scale of 7 is registered in the location of a nuclear plant, even when a strong earthquake occurs in a neighboring area.

When the quake hit Kumamoto on Thursday night, the NRA did not provide any information about the safety of the four plants until Friday morning. The slow response prompted the government to instruct the NRA to improve its information disclosure.

Under the new rules, when an earthquake measuring lower 5 or higher is recorded in Kyushu, the NRA will also provide information immediately with data about the nuclear plants.

Kyushu Electric’s Genkai power station is located in Saga Prefecture, northwestern Kyushu, while Chugoku Electric Power Co.’s Shimane plant is in Honshu, northeast of Kumamoto. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/04/19/national/nra-issue-nuclear-plant-info-every-day-amid-quake-concerns/#.VxamldR97Gh

April 20, 2016 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, safety