Court Allows Restart Of Ikata Reactor
A Japanese court has ruled that a nuclear reactor in western Japan can be restarted, reversing an injunction order issued last year.
The Hiroshima High Court on Thursday handed down its decision regarding the No.3 reactor at the Ikata nuclear power plant in Ehime Prefecture.
In January last year, the same court, under a different judge, had ordered the plant operator, Shikoku Electric Power Company, not to restart the reactor.
Three residents of an island in nearby Yamaguchi Prefecture had requested the injunction, citing the risks posed by possible earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
The high court heard the opinions of the residents and the plant operator, after the utility filed an objection to the injunction.
The two sides disputed the presence of an active fault near the plant and the impact of a possible massive eruption at Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, located 130 kilometers from the plant.
Despite the ruling, the No.3 reactor at the Ikata plant is expected to remain offline for at least six more months.
This is because Shikoku Electric expects that it will take until October to construct the mandatory facilities to ensure the safety of reactors in the event of emergencies, such as acts of terrorism.