Operation of unit 3 at Kyushu Electric Power Co’s Genkai NPP in Japan’s Saga Prefecture is planned for restart in January 2018 in preparation for commercial operation in February, Kyushu Electric announced on 28 August after submitting a request to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) for a pre-reactivation inspection. However the plans could be delayed, depending on the results of the NRA inspection, which is set to begin on 11 September, the Mainichi reported. Kyushu Electric hopes to load 193 units of nuclear fuel, including mixed oxide (mox) assemblies into unit 3 in December.
Also on 28 August, Kansai Electric Power Co announced plans to resume operation of units 3 and 4 at its Ohi NPP t in Fukui Prefecture in mid-January and in mid-March. Construction work necessary to implement safety measures had taken longer than planned, causing a delay in the expected restarts. To resume operation of the reactors, Kansai Electric still needs to obtain the consent of the local community. Kansai Electric also submitted a request to NRA for pre-activation inspections to check the performance capabilities of the reactor equipment. However, as yet the Fukui Prefectural Government has not agreed to the resumed operation of the Ohi plant.
All three units are 1,127MWe pressurised water reactors. To date, five of Japan’s operable reactors have resumed commercial operation after meeting revised regulatory standards put in place following the Fukushima accident in 2011. They are: Kansai Electric’s Takahama 3 and 4, Shikoku Electric's Ikata 3 and Kyushu Electric's Sendai 1 and 2. Another 19 reactors have applied to restart, seven of which have cleared safety examinations under the revised standards.
