ID :
182000
Fri, 05/13/2011 - 16:33
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/182000
The shortlink copeid
Chubu Electric brings Hamaoka No. 4 reactor to halt
SHIZUOKA (Kyodo) - Chubu Electric Power Co. successfully brought to a halt Friday one of its two operating reactors at the Hamaoka nuclear plant in Shizuoka Prefecture, its officials said, marking the first step in an unprecedented temporary shutdown at the government's request.
Following the No. 4 reactor, the utility is slated to halt the No. 5 unit Saturday, bringing a full shutdown of the plant, located on a major active fault in central Japan.
After workers began inserting control rods into the No. 4 unit early Friday, the reactor stopped its output at 10 a.m. and nuclear fission ended completely at 1:56 p.m.
The same procedures will be taken at the No. 5 unit early Saturday so it will stop around 10 a.m. and atomic fission is expected to finish in the afternoon, according to Chubu Electric.
The No. 4 and 5 reactors are likely to stabilize into a cold shutdown, in which the temperature at the reactor cores stays below 100 C, on Saturday morning and on Sunday morning, respectively, the utility said.
The plant's Nos. 1 and 2 reactors have already been shut down for decommissioning, while its No. 3 reactor has been suspended for regular checkups.
In order to meet the summer peak demand without its only nuclear plant that accounts for more than 10 percent of its supply capacity, the power company serving central Japan plans to reboot its suspended thermal power plant and ask its energy users to save on electricity.
Local governments near the plant, meanwhile, said they are asking the central government to help them mitigate concerns that the temporary shutdown could weigh on local finance and employment conditions.
While Chubu Electric hopes to reactivate the Hamaoka plant on the Pacific Coast as soon as it builds breakwater facilities and takes other measures to protect it against the impact of a tsunami, Shizuoka Gov. Heita Kawakatsu remains cautious until safety is fully assured.
The central government said it expects the plant in the city of Omaezaki to stay halted for two to three years.
As Japan struggles to contain its worst nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima Daiichi plant on the Pacific Coast of Fukushima Prefecture, resulting from the March 11 mega quake and tsunami, Prime Minister Naoto Kan a week ago made the unprecedented request to suspend the Hamaoka plant to prevent another accident should a powerful earthquake strike the region.
Chubu Electric accepted the government's request at its board meeting on Monday.
The No. 4 reactor gradually reduced output Friday morning after the control rods were inserted to temper and slow nuclear fission. When power generation stopped at 10 a.m., output figures came to zero on an electronic signboard at Chubu Electric's Nagoya head office.
Following the No. 4 reactor, the utility is slated to halt the No. 5 unit Saturday, bringing a full shutdown of the plant, located on a major active fault in central Japan.
After workers began inserting control rods into the No. 4 unit early Friday, the reactor stopped its output at 10 a.m. and nuclear fission ended completely at 1:56 p.m.
The same procedures will be taken at the No. 5 unit early Saturday so it will stop around 10 a.m. and atomic fission is expected to finish in the afternoon, according to Chubu Electric.
The No. 4 and 5 reactors are likely to stabilize into a cold shutdown, in which the temperature at the reactor cores stays below 100 C, on Saturday morning and on Sunday morning, respectively, the utility said.
The plant's Nos. 1 and 2 reactors have already been shut down for decommissioning, while its No. 3 reactor has been suspended for regular checkups.
In order to meet the summer peak demand without its only nuclear plant that accounts for more than 10 percent of its supply capacity, the power company serving central Japan plans to reboot its suspended thermal power plant and ask its energy users to save on electricity.
Local governments near the plant, meanwhile, said they are asking the central government to help them mitigate concerns that the temporary shutdown could weigh on local finance and employment conditions.
While Chubu Electric hopes to reactivate the Hamaoka plant on the Pacific Coast as soon as it builds breakwater facilities and takes other measures to protect it against the impact of a tsunami, Shizuoka Gov. Heita Kawakatsu remains cautious until safety is fully assured.
The central government said it expects the plant in the city of Omaezaki to stay halted for two to three years.
As Japan struggles to contain its worst nuclear accident at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima Daiichi plant on the Pacific Coast of Fukushima Prefecture, resulting from the March 11 mega quake and tsunami, Prime Minister Naoto Kan a week ago made the unprecedented request to suspend the Hamaoka plant to prevent another accident should a powerful earthquake strike the region.
Chubu Electric accepted the government's request at its board meeting on Monday.
The No. 4 reactor gradually reduced output Friday morning after the control rods were inserted to temper and slow nuclear fission. When power generation stopped at 10 a.m., output figures came to zero on an electronic signboard at Chubu Electric's Nagoya head office.
