Kashiwazaki-Kariwa reactor restarts face delay

摘要

Japanese state-controlled utility Tepco is facing a delay in restarting reactors at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant - the world’s largest - adding further uncertainty to its LNG demand for power generation this year. The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) in late March shelved safety assessment work at the 1,356MW No 6 and 1,356MW No 7 reactors. The NRA had focused on examining the two advanced boiling water reactors (BWRs) since August after making a decision to prioritise them over other BWRs and draft prototype documents needed for safety clearance of this type of reactor, which are the same as the units at the devastated Fukushima-Daiichi plant (AGL, February, p3).