Japan to Restart Idled Nuclear Reactors

Two more of Japan’s idled nuclear reactors obtained safety clearances as the nation looks to revive atomic power generation.

Another two of the nation’s idled nuclear reactors were given a clean bill of health by the country’s nuclear regulator on Thursday, providing a new boost for the government’s planned resumption of atomic power generation following the March 2011 triple-meltdown disaster at Fukushima No. 1 power plant, the Kyodo news agency reports.

The No. 3 and 4 reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Takahama complex located on the Sea of Japan coast thus joined two other reactors at Kyushu Electric Power Co.’s Sendai plant which earlier cleared key safety hurdles towards resumption.

A total of 48 commercial reactors were gradually taken offline after the Fukushima nuclear crisis and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is looking to resume the operation of reactors that clear the regulator’s screening, claiming that restarts are essential for economic growth.

The Takahama reactors, however, are not likely to go back online before summer, as the operator still needs to complete other procedures, such as submitting a construction plan, undergoing on-site operational checks and obtaining local approval.