ID :
201981
Wed, 08/17/2011 - 19:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/201981
The shortlink copeid
Tomari reactor resumes commercial operation
SAPPORO, Aug. 17 Kyodo - A reactor at the Tomari nuclear power plant in Hokkaido resumed commercial operation Wednesday after Hokkaido Gov. Harumi Takahashi officially gave her approval, making it the first reactor allowed to resume full operation since the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
The No. 3 reactor at the Tomari plant is the first among reactors undergoing scheduled checkups at the time of the Fukushima accident to resume commercial operation in Japan.
However, it has already been generating electricity at full capacity under what is known as an ''adjustment operation'' in the final phase of the checkup, so there will be effectively no difference in terms of electricity output as it shifts to commercial operation.
The reactor began undergoing a regular inspection in January and started the adjustment operation on March 7, before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami triggered the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima plant.
The checks were supposed to end in early April, but Hokkaido Electric Power Co. applied for the final test of the inspection process only recently because it had to enhance its safety measures in response to the nuclear crisis.
In announcing her approval at a press conference Wednesday, Takahashi called on the central government to ''act responsibly in taking all possible safety measures based on the Fukushima accident.''
She also said the resumption ''is important in order to create an environment for industrial activity and attract companies (to Hokkaido.)''
The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry issued a certificate for the completion of the reactor's regular inspection following the governor's approval.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan told reporters in Tokyo, ''The Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan has said that it has checked (the reactor's safety) sufficiently.''
Earlier, Takahashi expressed opposition against the central government urging the utility to carry forward procedures for the resumption without local consent.
The Hokkaido prefectural government subsequently sought local municipalities' acceptance for restarting the reactor's commercial operation before the governor announced her approval.
Takahashi called on the central government to treat the matter ''courteously,'' saying at the press conference that not only Hokkaido citizens but also people living in other prefectures hosting nuclear power plants as well as all Japanese citizens are watching the issue carefully.
The three-reactor Tomari nuclear power plant can produce a total of 2.07 million kilowatts of electricity, accounting for about 40 percent of electricity output in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island.
Currently, less than one-third of Japan's 54 existing commercial nuclear reactors are in operation as others are suspended due to regular checkups or in the wake of the March disaster.
The Tomari plant's No. 1 reactor is currently undergoing a checkup and the No. 2 reactor is also expected to enter a checkup period later this month.
The final test on the No. 3 reactor ended last Wednesday, with the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, which is under the wing of the industry ministry, confirming that there are no problems with the reactor.
Nuclear reactors in Japan that are suspended for regular checkups need to undergo certain ''stress tests'' before restarting operations after the crisis, but the government has said that the case of the Tomari reactor is not considered a ''restart'' because the reactor is already activated.
The No. 3 reactor at the Tomari plant is the first among reactors undergoing scheduled checkups at the time of the Fukushima accident to resume commercial operation in Japan.
However, it has already been generating electricity at full capacity under what is known as an ''adjustment operation'' in the final phase of the checkup, so there will be effectively no difference in terms of electricity output as it shifts to commercial operation.
The reactor began undergoing a regular inspection in January and started the adjustment operation on March 7, before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami triggered the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima plant.
The checks were supposed to end in early April, but Hokkaido Electric Power Co. applied for the final test of the inspection process only recently because it had to enhance its safety measures in response to the nuclear crisis.
In announcing her approval at a press conference Wednesday, Takahashi called on the central government to ''act responsibly in taking all possible safety measures based on the Fukushima accident.''
She also said the resumption ''is important in order to create an environment for industrial activity and attract companies (to Hokkaido.)''
The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry issued a certificate for the completion of the reactor's regular inspection following the governor's approval.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan told reporters in Tokyo, ''The Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan has said that it has checked (the reactor's safety) sufficiently.''
Earlier, Takahashi expressed opposition against the central government urging the utility to carry forward procedures for the resumption without local consent.
The Hokkaido prefectural government subsequently sought local municipalities' acceptance for restarting the reactor's commercial operation before the governor announced her approval.
Takahashi called on the central government to treat the matter ''courteously,'' saying at the press conference that not only Hokkaido citizens but also people living in other prefectures hosting nuclear power plants as well as all Japanese citizens are watching the issue carefully.
The three-reactor Tomari nuclear power plant can produce a total of 2.07 million kilowatts of electricity, accounting for about 40 percent of electricity output in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island.
Currently, less than one-third of Japan's 54 existing commercial nuclear reactors are in operation as others are suspended due to regular checkups or in the wake of the March disaster.
The Tomari plant's No. 1 reactor is currently undergoing a checkup and the No. 2 reactor is also expected to enter a checkup period later this month.
The final test on the No. 3 reactor ended last Wednesday, with the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, which is under the wing of the industry ministry, confirming that there are no problems with the reactor.
Nuclear reactors in Japan that are suspended for regular checkups need to undergo certain ''stress tests'' before restarting operations after the crisis, but the government has said that the case of the Tomari reactor is not considered a ''restart'' because the reactor is already activated.
