Japan's nuclear authority decides to reject plan to restart Tsuruga No.2 reactor

Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority has decided to formally reject the plan to restart the Tsuruga No.2 reactor at the Tsuruga nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture. The decision follows a conclusion that the plant does not meet regulatory standards due to an active fault located beneath the reactor building, which violates safety regulations prohibiting critical facilities from being built over such faults. The Japan Atomic Power Company, which operates the plant, requested additional surveys to gather more data on the fault and intended to revise its application for restarting the reactor. However, regulatory officials deemed the company's explanations insufficient and opted not to accept the requests for further surveys or revisions at this stage. A draft assessment stating that the reactor does not comply with regulatory standards is expected to be completed within a month. If endorsed, this will mark the first instance since the establishment of the Nuclear Regulation Authority in 2012 that a nuclear reactor has been denied permission to restart. The Japan Atomic Power Company may then choose to either apply for a new round of screening or proceed with decommissioning the reactor. The company's president emphasized the importance of the No.2 reactor for their operations and expressed a desire to restart it.

- Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority rejects Tsuruga No.2 reactor restart plan.

- The reactor is deemed non-compliant due to an active fault beneath it.

- The Japan Atomic Power Company requested additional surveys for data collection.

- A draft assessment on the reactor's compliance is expected in one month.

- The company may either seek a new screening or decommission the reactor.