Kansai Electric to submit stress test result

Kansai Electric is likely to submit to the government on Friday the results of a safety test on one of its halted nuclear reactors.

Kansai Electric would become Japan's first power company to do so.

80 percent of nuclear reactors in Japan have been halted since the March accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. In July, the government decided to mandate new safety assessments, called "stress tests," before the reactors could be restarted.

The tests involve computer simulations to see whether the nuclear power plants could withstand major earthquakes and tsunami.

Kansai Electric plans to submit the results of a stress test on the No.3 reactor of its nuclear plant at Oi, Fukui Prefecture.

But the move does not mean the reactor will be restarted immediately.

The government's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency will spend months screening the stress test results before a final go-ahead would be given by the government. Briefings for local governments and residents will also be required as part of the process.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011 18:44 +0900 (JST)