Hokkaido Governor Inspects Tomari Nuclear Plant

Tomari, Hokkaido, Dec. 4 (Jiji Press)–Hokkaido Governor Naomichi Suzuki on Thursday inspected Hokkaido Electric Power Co.’s Tomari nuclear plant, ahead of his final decision on whether to approve the planned restart of the No. 3 reactor at the plant in the northernmost Japan prefecture. During the inspection, Suzuki checked safety measures at the plant, including the maintenance status of a tsunami protection wall and drills simulating an accident occurring inside the containment vessel of a reactor. “It was very meaningful to see the situation (of safety measures at the plant) with my own eyes,” Suzuki told reporters. Suzuki also said that he asked Hokkaido Electric President Susumu Saito, who accompanied the governor on the inspection, to implement measures to achieve “safety levels above regulatory standards.” On the same day, Suzuki met with the mayors of the four municipalities surrounding the nuclear plant. The mayors have already expressed their support for the reactor’s restart. “The mayors’ decisions are significant,” the governor said after the meeting. “I will take their views seriously into account when making my final decision.” In July this year, the Nuclear Regulation Authority determined that the No. 3 reactor at the Tomari plant meets the new regulatory standards. In August, the central government sought the support of the prefecture and municipalities for reactivating the reactor. At a meeting of the Hokkaido assembly on Friday, Suzuki expressed his willingness to accept the reactor’s restart, saying that it is an “realistic option.” He is expected to make his final decision as early as this month. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]