Japan's Kyushu Electric Prepares for Restart of Second Nuclear Reactor

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Kyushu Electric Power Company Incorporated (TSE:9508) (Fukuoka, Japan) has loaded all 157 fuel rods for the No. 2 nuclear reactor at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima. The company was conducting inspections of the facility and its equipment in order to put the reactor back online.

Kyushu Electric started loading the fuel rods on September 11 and completed the job on September 13. The company plans to put the No. 2 reactor online October 15 and will begin commercial operations by mid-November.

Sendai Nuclear Power Plant's No. 1 nuclear reactor returned online on August 11, and started commercial operations September 10. However, the plant operators encountered some issues with the cooling systems prior to attaining commercial operations. As a result, Kyushu Electric said it will conduct more stringent tests on the No. 2 reactor.

For related information, see August 24, 2015, article - Kyushu Electric Suspends Power Build-up at Restarted Sendai Nuclear Power Plant.

Currently, there are five nuclear reactors, including Sendai Nuclear Power Station's nos. 1 and 2, which have passed the safety inspections under new regulations. Next nuclear reactor likely to be back online is the No. 3 reactor at Ikata Nuclear Power Plant, which is operated by Shikoku Electric Power Company Incorporated (TSE:9507) (Takamatsu, Kagawa) .

Ehime Prefecture received a request in July from the Japanese government to restart the Ikata nuclear power station, but Shikoku Electric Power Company still has a long way to go before it is fully operational.

Also, Kansai Electric Power Company Incorporated (TSE:9503) (Osaka, Japan), continues to face challenges as it works to resume full operations at the nos. 3 and 4 nuclear reactors at the Takahama Nuclear Power Plant in Takahama, Fukui.

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