The Nuclear Regulation Authority team began a two-day re-examination Monday of Japan Atomic Power Co.'s Tsuruga plant in Fukui Prefecture to follow up on its discovery last May that reactor 2 is sitting on an active fault.
In a report the following July, however, Japan Atomic Power said reactor 2 was not on an active fault, contradicting the NRA.
The NRA visit is not expected to change the NRA's mind about ruling out a restart for the reactor, since the Japan Atomic Power report contained no persuasive information to alter its opinion.
On Monday, the team, including NRA Commissioner Kunihiko Shimazaki, was briefed by Japan Atomic officials while inspecting the site, which includes a ditch about 300 meters north of reactor 2.
Nuclear plant operators are not permitted to place reactors and other important safety installations directly above "active faults," which is currently defined as those that have moved in the past 120,000 to 130,000 years.
If the operator fails to change the NRA's mind, unit 2 will have to be scrapped.