Japan’s Hokkaido Electric Power Co won local backing on Wednesday for commercial operation of a nuclear reactor that has been operating in a grey zone, removing uncertainty over its status as Japan weighs the need for a steady supply of electricity against worries over the safety of atomic power.
The March 11 earthquake and tsunami triggered meltdowns and radiation leaks at the Fukushima Daiichi plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Co, shattering public confidence in nuclear power.
That has darkened the outlook for the restart of off-line reactors and raised the possibility that all of Japan’s 54 reactors could be shut down by May 2012.
The change in status of the 912-megawatt Tomari No.3 reactor, however, does not mean a boost in energy output from the plant as the reactor has been operating in “test status” since four days before the March 11 disaster.
Nor does it necessarily imply that reactors now off-line will gain local approval easily. The halted reactors — 39 of Japan’s total 54 reactors — must first undergo “stress tests” to confirm their safety.
Hokkaido Governor Harumi Takahashi gave approval for commercial operation of the Tomari No.3 reactor in a press conference on Wednesday, and formal consent of the change in status by the trade minister was expected as early as the same day.
“I think the Hokkaido Governor is making a reasonable, commonly acceptable decision,” said Toshinori Ito, senior analyst at UBS Securities Japan.
“I hope that the governor’s decision will help leaders of other communities hosting reactors to calm down, face the reality and use their common sense.”
Tomari No.3 will not operate for more than a few months, since it must be halted by the end of May 2012 for its next round of planned maintenance.
Concerns about the impact on Japan’s economy of a complete shutdown of all the nation’s nuclear reactors — which supplied about 30 percent of electricity before the March disaster — have been running up against worries about safety in the wake of the world’s worst nuclear crisis in 25 years, as well as mistrust of utilities and regulators after a spate of scandals.
Surveys show about 70 percent of voters support Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s vision of a future free of nuclear power.
“One of the most important responsibilities that the governor has is the protection of the life of the citizens of their prefecture,” said Hideki Osada, a representative of the Hokkaido Peace Movement Forum, an anti-nuclear group.
“We are against the governor giving official recognition of the plant operations. Concerning the plants that are already in operation, they should eventually be stopped taking into account short- and long-term safety concerns.”
Unpopular prime minister, however, is expected to step down in coming weeks, and most of his potential successors have said it would be difficult to abandon atomic power entirely.
