http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/ OHI PLANT TO SHUT 9/15; NO REACTORS ONLINE The operator of the Ohi nuclear plant in central Japan has started the process of shutting down the nation's 2 operating reactors. Officials at Kansai Electric Power Company on Thursday applied to the Nuclear Regulation Authority to halt the plant's No. 3 reactor on September 2nd for regular inspections. They also plan to stop the No. 4 reactor of their plant in Fukui Prefecture on September 15th. That would put all nuclear reactors in Japan offline for the first time in 14 months. Officials from four utilities have applied to the authority for safety screening. They hope to restart 12 reactors at 6 nuclear plants, including Ohi. But there are no clear indications of when that can happen. Aug. 1, 2013 - Updated 09:55 UTC REGIONAL UTILITY TO SUPPLY POWER IN TOKYO A regional Japanese power company is ready to move into the Tokyo market after taking control of a local electricity supplier. The rare move by a utility to another area may speed the breakup of the monopoly on power supply throughout Japan. Sources say Chubu Electric Power Company, located in central Japan, has decided to acquire an 80 percent stake in Tokyo-based Diamond Power. The deal is expected to be worth about 10 million dollars. Diamond Power was set up in 2000 by Japanese trading firm Mitsubishi Corporation. The company buys excess electricity from businesses and factories and sells it to large power users, such as office buildings. Chubu Electric executives apparently aim to expand their operations to the Tokyo area. The move comes as new rules will likely allow businesses and households in the region to choose their power suppliers within 3 years. Customers of Tokyo Electric Power Company have been forced to pay higher electricity fees as a result of the crisis at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Aug. 7, 2013 - Updated 06:57 UTC EXPERT TEAM STUDIES FAULT AT OHI PLANT Japan's nuclear regulator began a 2-day survey of a fault running beneath the nuclear plant in Ohi, Fukui Prefecture, on Saturday. Scientists and a team from the Nuclear Regulation Authority examined the geology of a trench that was dug near the plant's Number 3 reactor to decide if the fault is active. The NRA had already conducted 2 inspections since last November. Opinion remains divided on the status of the fault that runs from north to south on the plant's premises. In the 3rd survey that began on Saturday, the team studied strata of the wall and the fault found on the bottom of a newly dug trench to the south of the Number 3 reactor. The trench is about 70 meters long and 40 meters deep. Nuclear Regulation Authority Commissioner Kunihiko Shimazaki said it will not make a judgment right away but will examine the findings in a meeting. The survey will continue on Sunday. The fault in question runs beneath pipes that carry sea water to cool the reactors. The number 3 and 4 reactors may be shut down if the fault is determined to be active. The plant's operator, Kansai Electric, maintains that it is inactive. The Regulation Authority conducted a safety check of the 2 reactors based on Japan's new guidelines, and gave permission for the utility to keep them online until a safety inspection scheduled for September. Kansai Electric is applying for safety checks with the aim of continuing operations after September's inspection, but the Regulation Authority has decided not to conduct an assessment until a conclusion is reached on the status of the fault. Jul. 27, 2013 - Updated 13:19 UTC 4 NUCLEAR REACTERS ON RESTART SCREENING Japan's nuclear regulators have chosen the first group of 4 reactors for a review of severe accident measures. The move is a step toward restarting the facilities. On Thursday, Nuclear Regulation Authority officials conducted a hearing with the operators of the Tomari plant in Hokkaido, the Ikata plant in Ehime, and the Sendai plant in Kagoshima. The plants' 4 reactors are prioritized for the review. The operators explained new measures to prevent damage to nuclear fuel in case of a total blackout, like the one that occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in 2011. The utilities also provided an analysis on the effectiveness of the proposed measures. The regulators quizzed them on the details of the procedures. They also asked about the number of workers onsite to deal with any accident, and their roles. Operators have submitted applications to restart another 8 reactors. At the Genkai plant in Saga, the NRA asked preliminary questions on active faults at the site and the plant's preparedness for an emergency. But the NRA put on hold screenings of the remaining 6 reactors, saying they are not ready for inspection. Jul. 25, 2013 - Updated 17:04 UTC

• published: 12 Aug 2013
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