After having undergone major safety checks that were mandated because of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant crisis that started last year, the government is moving to restart reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Oi facility in Fukui Prefecture.
Although the restart effort is regarded as a test case, experts are concerned about a number of safety problems concerning reactors 3 and 4, pointing out that it will take a few more years to set up key backup safety facilities to cope with emergencies not included in the computer simulation-based stress tests.
The critical features include a much higher seawall, filtered ventilation systems to release pressure from the reactors and a quake-resistant, sealed emergency operation center like the one that continues to provide vital working space for emergency workers who barely contained the meltdown crisis at Fukushima No. 1.