The Japanese nuclear watchdog, the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), has announced that the first two units of the Takahama nuclear power plant meet the safety standards introduced in July 2013 following the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. This decision will formally be approved after hearings by the Japan Atomic Energy Commission and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Takahama-1 and 2 are two 780 MW pressurized water reactors that were commissioned in 1974 and 1975 and are operated by Kansai Electric; the NRA approved a 10-year life extension for unit-1 in November 2014, and a 10-year life extension for unit-2 in April 2015. However, additional approvals are required by July 2015 to extend their lifetime, under the revised regulations.
Units 3 and 4 of the plant were allowed by the city of Takahama to resume operations in December 2015. Takahama-3 restarted in late January 2016 and achieved 100% output on 4 February 2016. Takahama-4 is ready to be restarted and to resume full operation in late March 2016.
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