Japan Prepares To Shut Down Another Nuclear Reactor
Written by NucNet
Friday, 13 January 2012
Shikoku Electric Power Company started procedures today to shut down unit 2 at the Ikata nuclear power plant, bringing the number of nuclear units offline in Japan to 49 out of 54.
The Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF) said Ikata-2, in Ehime prefecture, western Japan, was being shut down for a three-month regular inspection. JAIF noted that “more than 90 percent” of the reactors in the country will now be out of service.
JAIF said stress tests will need to be carried out before any of the 49 reactors can be restarted. Those tests are due to be carried out by spring 2012.
In addition, Ehime prefecture and Ikata Town officials say they cannot decide whether to approve the restart of reactors in their area until central government draws up new safety
guidelines that take into account the lessons learned from the March 2011 Fukushima-Daiichi accident.
Other local authorities are also cautious about putting nuclear reactors back online, JAIF said.
In July 2011 JAIF warned that Japan’s economic growth could be jeopardised if nuclear units that are offline are not restarted soon.
