Japan: Two Reactors to Stop Due to Insufficient Anti-Terror Measures

TOKYO (HRNW) – Japan’s Kansai Electric Power company, which operates the Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture, will suspend operations of two reactors at the plant next summer as they do not comply with the new anti-terrorism requirements, the Mainichi newspaper reported on Sunday. According to Sputnik,  given that the plant’s reactors No. 3 and No. 4 were relaunched in 2017, and their certificates are set to expire in August and October. However, the operator decided to halt their activity next summer as it will not manage to implement all the necessary measures on time. The newspaper also reported that the work on upgrading the plant was behind by about a year. One of the possible reasons for this delay could be the recent corruption row over the operator that broke out in late October. In particular, Kansai Electric Power’s officials had reportedly accepted expensive gifts and about $3 million in cash for several years from the former official who used to serve in the administration of Takahama town that hosts the plant.