Fukui Governor Approves Construction of Additional Tsuruga Units

摘要

At a press conference on June 12, Gov. Yukio Kurita of Fukui Prefecture expressed his intention to accept the proposal by the Japan Atomic Power Co. (JAPC) to build two additional nuclear units, Tsuruga-3 and -4. His decision was then officially reported to the government, allowing the plan to take an important step forward to be included in the national power development basic plan for FY2002. On the day before the governor's decision, Mayor Kazuharu Kawase of Tsuruga City visited him to talk about the matter. The mayor asked Gov. Kurita to "promote the construction plan," premised on the conditions that safety be secured and regional development be promoted. The governor said he would take the mayor's concerns into consideration when making his final decision. Tsuruga-3 and -4 will be the first advanced pressurized light water reactors (APWRs) in Japan. Tsuruga-3 will be commissioned in 2010, if all goes according to schedule, and Tsurugua-4 some time after that.