28 March, 2017

Court Overturns Injunction Stopping Operation at Takahama NPPs

Today, on March 28, the Osaka High Court, at an appeal hearing, overturned an injunction against the restart of Units 3 and 4 of the Takahama Nuclear Power Station, owned and operated by the Kansai Electric Power Co. (Kansai EP).

After the two reactors were deemed in February 2015 to have met new safety regulations, Takahama-3 resumed commercial operation in February 2016, and the Takahama-4 reactor restarted as well. However, one month later, in March 2016, the Otsu District Court (Shiga Prefecture) issued an injunction forcing the operation of both reactors to halt. One year has passed since then.

The latest ruling is the result of the patient and careful explanations made by the reactor operator over the period. I would like to express my respect here for all those involved in that effort.

Nuclear power—an excellent base-load power source in terms of the stable supply of electricity—can also play an important role as an effective countermeasure against climate change, given that it produces no CO₂ emissions during power generation. Today’s lifting of the injunction against reactor restarts this time is thus highly significant.

Now preparations are to begin toward the restart of both reactors. My hope is that the reactor operator will place top priority on safety in that work, striving for safe operation after the restart as well.

Akio Takahashi, President, JAIF