The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) informed Japan Nuclear Power Plant, the operator, that errors had been found one after another in the submitted materials during the examination of Unit 2 of the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Station in Fukui Prefecture, and Japan Nuclear Power Company accepted. The NRA has asked for the application to be revised by August, and Chairman Shinsuke Yamanaka said, "I hope this will be the last time we will do this."
Regarding the Unit 2 reactor at the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant, it was pointed out at an expert meeting of the Nuclear Regulation Authority that the fault running directly under the reactor "may move in the future," but the operator argued that the Japan nuclear power plant could not move during the examination necessary to restart the reactor.
However, the review was suspended for about two years due to a series of rewrites and errors found in the fault data and other materials submitted by Japan Nuclear Power Company, and after the resumption in December last year, the Nuclear Regulation Authority decided to suspend the review again.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority summoned Mamoru Muramatsu, President of Japan Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. on August 2, conveyed this policy, and asked him to revise and submit the fault application by the end of August.
In response, President Muramatsu expressed his intention to accept the suspension of the review, saying, "We take seriously the fact that errors have been newly confirmed in the materials despite reviewing the flow of operations, and as president, I am determined to demonstrate leadership and work to ensure the quality of the application forms."
Shinsuke Yamanaka, chairman of the NRA, said, "I would like you to approach this as the last time, and I would like you to submit materials that can be substantially examined," and conveyed his intention to take a tough stance.
Japan Nuclear Power Company President Muramatsu: "Preparation of examination documents, strengthening internal systems"
Mamoru Muramatsu, president of Japan Nuclear Power Plant, told the press after the interview, "The restart of Unit 2 at the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant is an important management issue, and we take very seriously the fact that errors have been confirmed in the examination materials.
Current situation of Japan nuclear power
Japan Nuclear Power was established in 1957 under the leadership of major private power companies to introduce commercial nuclear power plants in the country.
The characteristic of the management is that it does not retail electricity, but is a "power generation specialist" that wholesale the electricity generated by the nuclear power plant to each company.
However, after the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant 12 years ago, all of our nuclear power plants were shut down.
Japan Nuclear Power is aiming to restart two reactors, the Tokai No. 2 Nuclear Power Plant in Ibaraki Prefecture and the No. 2 Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture, but the No. 2 reactor at the Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant has been suspended again this time, and the Tokai No. 5 Nuclear Power Plant has also been unable to formulate evacuation plans created by local governments in the event of an accident, so there is no concrete prospect of restarting operations.
While it is unable to generate electricity and sell electricity, Japan Nuclear Power receives "basic charges" from five major companies that sell to it, including Tokyo Electric Power Company, Kansai Electric Power Company, and Chubu Electric Power Company, as a pillar of its income, and earned about 2021 billion yen in fiscal 900.
The business environment of electric power companies is becoming more severe due to soaring energy prices, and nuclear power companies that continue to receive "basic charges" without being able to restart Japan operations will be under even closer scrutiny.