Dec 21 - McClatchy-Tribune Business News Formerly Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News - Kyodo News International, Tokyo

Kansai Electric Power Co. said Thursday it will resume operation of a nuclear reactor in Mihama, Fukui Prefecture, around, some 29 months after suspending its operation following the deadliest ever nuclear facility accident in Japan.

The No. 3 reactor at the Mihama nuclear power station, which was test run for two weeks from late September, will continue test runs until full-fledged commercial operations begin in early February, the power utility said.

On, 2004, superheated nonradioactive steam burst from a ruptured pipe at the reactor's turbine building, killing five people and injuring six others.