Nuclear fuel plant closed since 1997 set to reopen

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Nuclear fuel plant closed since 1997 set to reopen

TOKYO, July 9 (Kyodo) - A nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in 
Tokaimura, Ibaraki Prefecture, that has been closed since a fire 
broke out in 1997, is likely to resume operation as early as this 
year, sources close to the case said Saturday. 

The state-run Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute, formerly 
the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. (Donen), 
closed the facility in March 1997 after a fire and explosion exposed 
37 workers to radiation. 

The Ibaraki prefectural government has decided to hold a meeting 
of an atomic energy council on July 28 to obtain agreement from 
local communities on giving the facility the green light to resume 
operations, the sources said. 

The council comprises local municipal heads, prefectural 
assemblymen and atomic energy experts. 

Some residents are against starting up the plant, particularly since 
Japan's worst nuclear accident occurred at a uranium-processing 
facility in the village in September last year, but the council is 
expected to give the go-ahead to approve the resumption within this 
year, according to the sources. 

After the July 28 meeting, each municipality is expected to collect 
opinions from residents. 

The council is expected to approve the resumption of operations as 
the assembly of the village of Tokaimura last month pledged its 
support, with village chief Tatsuya Murakami saying he would leave 
the decision to the prefectural government. 

Last May, the government's Nuclear Safety Commission declared 
the institute's plant safe but the issue was dropped after last 
September's accident. 

The Tokaimura village and Ibaraki prefectural governments ordered 
the operator to check the safety of the plant after the incident and 
the prefectural and national nuclear safety commissions 
reconfirmed the safety of the facility. 

The operator reopened the plant on June 29 and has been 
operating it to conduct checkups. 
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Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
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