Hokkaido Electric Power Co. is considering pushing back a regular inspection of the No. 3 reactor at its Tomari power plant to early May from late April, utility officials said Saturday.

The power company will make a formal decision after getting the government's approval, they said.

The No. 3 unit is one of only two reactors in Japan still operating. The other — the No. 6 reactor at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata Prefecture — is scheduled to be shut down for regular maintenance March 26.