Atomic experts inspect suspended nuclear reactors at Japan plant

Jan 26, 2012, 4:08 GMT

Tokyo - A team of 10 experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Thursday finished examining stress tests conducted on two reactors suspended for regular check-ups at a nuclear power plant in Fukui prefecture, central Japan.

The experts, who arrived in Tokyo Monday and held talks with government officials, inspected reactors 3 and 4 at Oi Nuclear Power Station run by Kansai Electric Power Co on Wednesday and Thursday.

The team will submit reports on the adequacy of stress tests Tuesday before leaving the country.

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency endorsed last week the positive stress test results for the two reactors. The decision was the first since the government announced in July that safety assessments on reactors across the country would be conducted in two stages.

Anti-nuclear activists said the government wants to reactivate the two reactors immediately.

In a stress test, utilities assess to what degree their reactors are capable of withstanding natural disasters such as an earthquake or tsunami.

Japan's utilities have been unable to restart their idled reactors amid growing public concern about atomic power in the wake of the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The plant is run by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO).

The plant was hit by a magnitude-9 earthquake and tsunami on March 11, which triggered the crisis, leading to meltdowns at three of its six reactors.

On Wednesday, TEPCO shut down reactor 5 of its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata prefecture, leaving only four of the nation's 54 reactors in service.

All of them are scheduled to be halted for servicing by the end of April.

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