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4 utilities to apply for early screening for restart of reactors
With a 5th reportedly right behind them.
Four electric power companies are expected to apply to the Nuclear Regulation Authority in July for screening to restart eight idle reactors, sources said May 29.
The four utilities are Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Kansai Electric Power Co., Shikoku Electric Power Co. and Kyushu Electric Power Co. The four will apply at the earliest possible opportunity after the NRA stipulates new regulation standards on nuclear power generation by July 18. Tokyo Electric Power Co. is also making preparations to apply as soon as possible.
...snip...
The eight reactors involved in the applications are the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 reactors at Hokkaido Electric Power’s Tomari nuclear power plant; the Nos. 3 and 4 reactors at Kansai Electric’s Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture; the No. 3 reactor at Shikoku Electric’s Ikata nuclear power plant in Ehime Prefecture; and the Nos. 1 and 2 reactors at Kyushu Electric’s Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture. They are all pressurized water reactors.
...snip...
Because the containment vessels of pressurized water reactors are large, the new regulation standards are expected to grant those reactors a moratorium on the installment of filter-attached vent equipment, which prevents radioactive materials from leaking to the outside. That will allow the four electric power companies to apply for restarts immediately after the new regulation standards are stipulated.
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/AJ201305300059
The four utilities are Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Kansai Electric Power Co., Shikoku Electric Power Co. and Kyushu Electric Power Co. The four will apply at the earliest possible opportunity after the NRA stipulates new regulation standards on nuclear power generation by July 18. Tokyo Electric Power Co. is also making preparations to apply as soon as possible.
...snip...
The eight reactors involved in the applications are the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 reactors at Hokkaido Electric Power’s Tomari nuclear power plant; the Nos. 3 and 4 reactors at Kansai Electric’s Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture; the No. 3 reactor at Shikoku Electric’s Ikata nuclear power plant in Ehime Prefecture; and the Nos. 1 and 2 reactors at Kyushu Electric’s Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture. They are all pressurized water reactors.
...snip...
Because the containment vessels of pressurized water reactors are large, the new regulation standards are expected to grant those reactors a moratorium on the installment of filter-attached vent equipment, which prevents radioactive materials from leaking to the outside. That will allow the four electric power companies to apply for restarts immediately after the new regulation standards are stipulated.
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/AJ201305300059
Rather than compliance with new regulations, the limiting factor appears to be that the NRA is only staffed to inspect three reactors at a time and each inspection will take months.
