Japan's Kansai Electric may need to shut older nuclear reactors

Tokyo (Platts)--11Aug2004

Japan's Kansai Electric Power Co Inc may need to idle other nuclear power
units built in the 1970's, around the same time as the accident-hit 826,000 kW
No 3 reactor at its Mihama power plant in Fukui, central Japan, in order to
conduct safety inspections, a company official said Wednesday. Japan's Nuclear
and Industrial Safety Agency Tuesday requested power suppliers to carry out
inspections on pressurized-water reactors, the same type used in the No 3 unit
at Mihama. Kansai Electric is currently preparing for inspections. "It depends
on when we conduct regular turnarounds at these nuclear reactors. But we may
need to idle old nuclear power units for inspection," the official said. Four
workers were killed and seven severely injured following a non-radioactive
steam leak from a water pipe on Monday at the No 3 Mihama unit. The No 3
reactor was scheduled to be shut for regular maintenance on August 14.

Kansei Electric has seven nuclear reactors built in 1970's: the No 1 (340,000
kW) and No 2 (500,000 kW) reactors at Mihama; the No 1 (1.175-mil kW) and No 2
(1.175-mil kW) nuclear units at the Ooi power plant as well as the No 1
(826,000 kW) and No 2 (826,000 kW) reactors at the Takahama plant, in addition
to the affected No 3 Mihama unit. All are located in Fukui prefecture,
according to the company official. In order to avoid a potential power supply
shortfall, Kansai Electric will approach other power utilities to cover for it
in the event of any shutdowns. The company is also considering boosting
operating rates at its thermal power plants by procuring additional LNG and
crude oil as fuel. For the year to March 2003, some 15% of Kansai's thermal
power was generated from crude and fuel oil, while LNG accounted for 84%.

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