Japan Finishes Safety Screening for #3 & 4 Takahama Reactors Tokyo, Oct. 9 (Jiji Press)--The Nuclear Regulation Authority said Friday it has finished safety screenings for the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s <9503> Takahama nuclear power plant in central Japan.
Previously, the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors at Kyushu Electric Power Co.'s <9508> Sendai plant in southwestern Japan were the only ones to have passed NRA examinations under new safety standards implemented in July 2013. The No. 1 reactor is in commercial operation, while the No. 2 reactor is set to be restarted later this month.
In February, the NRA confirmed that safety measures at the Takahama reactors meet the new safety standards. After that, the regulatory body checked emergency safety measures and some other matters until the completion of the screenings.
The authority has already started a preuse inspection for the No. 3 reactor. The No. 4 reactor will undergo a similar check in the near future.
Even after all the procedures are finished, however, Kansai Electric will remain unable to resume the operations of the reactors unless Fukui District Court withdraws a preliminary injunction banning the restart of both facilities.