Japan plans to restart nuclear reactors soon

World Nuclear News : After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was severely damaged by a tsunami and earthquake in 2011, Japan closed all of its nuclear power plants. The following year, the country established the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), which drew up new standards for nuclear power plant operation. Now, after a series of upgrades and inspections at the Sendai Nuclear Power Plant, Kyushu Electric Power Company plans to ask the NRA to perform a final inspection of the Sendai 1 reactor. If no problems are found during the week-long process, which is expected to begin on 3 August, the reactor could start operations as soon as 10 August. It would be the first nuclear reactor to restart in Japan since 2011, and 20 more reactors are in line to follow. The government hopes that nuclear power will produce up to 22% of the country’s electricity by 2030 and decrease its reliance on fossil fuel imports.