Sendai reactors to resume operations after approval
Print Edition
A LOCAL governor in Japan gave the final approval yesterday to restart a nuclear power plant in southern Japan, the first to resume operations in the country under new safety rules imposed in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi meltdowns caused by an earthquake and tsunami.
Kagoshima Governor Yuichiro Ito said restarting two reactors at the Sendai Nuclear Power Station would go ahead even though some local residents have concerns. “All things considered, I must say that we still need to rely on nuclear energy, and it is extremely important for us to steadily carry out the plan,” he said, hours after the prefectural assembly endorsed the restart.
The chairman’s announcement of the yes vote was nearly inaudible as about 200 citizens in the audience protested, shouting their opposition. They stood up, some hoisted “NO” signs, while others shouted “Protect residents’ lives,” and “shame on you.”
They are particularly concerned about several active volcanos around the plant, as a recent fatal volcanic explosion in northern Japan demonstrated that eruptions are virtually unpredictable.
Ito’s announcement marks the final step before the Sendai reactors are expected to go back online early next year following regulators’ on-site checks. Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority in July gave them passing grades under stricter safety requirements that factored in the lessons of the Fukushima Dai-ichi meltdowns.
All 48 workable reactors in Japan have been off line for safety checks or repairs since the 2011 disaster, except for two that have temporarily operated for about a year.
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