FUKUOKA – The operator of the Genkai nuclear power plant in Saga Prefecture plans to restart another reactor at the complex in late May, according to a plan recently submitted to the government.
The rebooting of the No. 4 unit after a six-year hiatus will complete Kyushu Electric Power Co.’s plan to bring four of its reactors online after stricter safety screenings were imposed in light of the Fukushima disaster.
According to the plan submitted to the Nuclear Regulation Authority, the utility will restart the reactor on May 24 if all goes smoothly, with commercial operation slated to resume in late June.
Kyushu Electric restarted the plant’s No. 3 unit in March, while two reactors at its Sendai complex in Kagoshima Prefecture were restarted in 2015.
Some residents opposed to the Genkai plant’s operations have questioned the validity of the safety standards and cited the risk of volcanic eruptions in the region. In March, the Saga District Court rejected a request for an injunction to suspend the plant’s restart.
RELATED PHOTOS
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A fuel pool at the Genkai nuclear power plant in Genkai, Saga Prefecture, is shown in September. | POOL / VIA KYODO
