PRESS RELEASE

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Japan Approves Two More Nuclear Plants

Jan. 18, 2017 (EIRNS)—Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority approved the restoration of two nuclear reactors in Saga Prefecture, western Japan, today. New safety regulations imposed after the Fukushima accident were met, the Authority ruled. The Nos. 3 and 4 units of the Genkai plant will be the second Kyushu Electric-operated plant to go back online, following its Sendai plant, Xinhua reported.

This will be only the fifth nuclear plant overall that has met the new safety requirements and is approved to restart its reactors.

The World Nuclear Association (WNA) reports that the more than 50 reactors in Japan had provided some 30% of the country’s electricity before the 2011 Fukushima break down, and had been expected to increase to at least 40% by 2017. But now 84% of the country’s power has to be imported.

Currently 42 reactors are operable and potentially able to restart, and 24 of these are in the process of restart approvals, says the WNA.