Gov't to declare 2 reactors in Fukushima Pref. safe on Fri.

[Sandy, Perle]

Index:



Gov't to declare 2 reactors in Fukushima Pref. safe on Fri.

Japan to promote nuclear power as key energy source

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Gov't to declare 2 reactors in Fukushima Pref. safe on Fri.



TOKYO, July 15 (Kyodo) - The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency 

plans to declare Friday that two nuclear reactors in Fukushima 

Prefecture operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) are safe, 

agency sources said Tuesday.



The declaration by the nation's nuclear watchdog would pave the way 

for restarting the No. 3 reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power 

plant and the No. 1 reactor at the Fukushima No. 2 nuclear power 

plant.



The agency is expected to give the green light to the resumption of 

operations of the reactors in the town of Tomioka, in the same 

prefecture, at a meeting on energy policy of heads of local 

municipalities and local assemblies, they said.



TEPCO shut down all 17 of its nuclear reactors -- seven in Niigata 

Prefecture and 10 in Fukushima Prefecture -- by the end of April for 

inspections following scandals about the systematic cover-up of 

inspection data showing cracks in reactors.



The agency is also expected to say the No. 5 reactor at the Fukushima 

No. 1 nuclear power plant is safe to resume operations the same day, 

if it finds no problems in the final checkup before reactivation 

which will probably be completed Wednesday, according to the sources.



The three reactors have a combined output capacity of 2,670 megawatts 

and resumption of the three will give TEPCO better prospects of 

meeting power demand during the rest of the summer.



However, it remains unclear whether the utility will be able to 

restart the three reactors soon as the reactions from the prefectural 

government and the prefectural assembly are not yet known.



TEPCO restarted the No. 6 and the No. 7 reactors at the Kashiwazaki-

Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture in May and June.



It also reactivated the No. 6 reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear 

power plant on Sunday.



It is believed that feared power shortages in the Kanto region 

centering on Tokyo will be more or less avoided if the No. 4 reactor 

at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant also resumed operations.



Whether TEPCO can resume the No. 4 reactor now hinges on when local 

governments make a final decision for approval.



With the government approval, TEPCO could legally restart its 

reactors without local consent, but the central government and the 

utility want to obtain local support so as to avoid falling into 

troubles with locals.



Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) gave 

the green light Tuesday to resume operations at the No. 4 reactor at 

the Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Shizuoka Prefecture operated by 

Chubu Electric Power Co.



METI gave approval to the utility's plan to restart the reactor 

without fixing cracks found in a steel reactor shroud -- the second 

such case, following the No. 1 reactor at the Onagawa nuclear power 

plant in Miyagi Prefecture operated by Tohoku Electric Power Co.



Preparations for restarting the No. 4 reactor will be completed by 

the end of this month, METI sources said.



The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency is a branch of METI.

---------------------



Japan to promote nuclear power as key energy source



TOKYO, July 14 (Kyodo) - Japan's new long-term energy plan calls for 

promoting the use of nuclear power as a core energy source despite a 

series of scandals involving nuclear power plants, according to a 

draft of the plan.



Despite revelations last August that Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) 

falsified safety reports, the draft stipulates that Japan continue to 

push nuclear power generation as a key source of power supply in the 

light of moves to prevent global warming, according to the draft, a 

copy of which was obtained Monday by Kyodo News.



As for reasons to keep nuclear power as the main source in the 

nation's energy policy, the draft says nuclear fuel has high energy-

density as a fuel and is easy to stockpile.



It also points out that spent nuclear fuel is recyclable by 

reprocessing and does not emit carbon dioxide, the main cause of 

global warming.



The draft emphasizes the importance of winning public understanding 

of nuclear power and calls on the government to take the lead in 

winning public support.



The draft will be presented Friday to a subpanel of the Advisory 

Committee for Natural Resources and Energy at the Ministry of 

Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), METI sources said.



Among other proposals, the draft says Japan should boost the use of 

environment-friendly natural gases in view of the balance between 

such gases and other energy sources.



It also says Japan should promote cooperation with Russia in an oil 

pipeline project in Siberia in a bid to reduce its heavy dependence 

on the Middle East for its oil imports.



The basic energy plan, which will cover the next 10 years, will be 

Japan's first comprehensive national energy policy and be seen as a 

blueprint for future energy policies in the country.



-------------------------------------------------

Sandy Perle

Director, Technical

ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Service

ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue

Costa Mesa, CA 92626



Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100  Extension 2306

Fax:(714) 668-3149



E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net

E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com



Personal Website: http://sandy-travels.com/

ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com/



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