Japan utilities announce plans to file for nuclear restarts

Four regional utilities, including Kansai Electric Power Co. (9503), have told Japan’s nuclear regulator they intend to apply for safety checks to restart reactors idled after the Fukushima atomic disaster in March 2011. Kansai Electric, the nation’s second-biggest regional power company, Shikoku Electric Power Co. (9507), Hokkaido Electric Power Co. (9509) and Kyushu Electric Power Co. (9508) alerted the Nuclear Regulation Authority today they’ll request inspections when the agency begins accepting applications on July 8. All but two of Japan’s 50 reactors are idled for safety assessments after the earthquake and subsequent tsunami of March 11, 2011 caused meltdowns and radiation leaks at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi plant. The NRA was set up after the disaster to independently review Japan’s nuclear power.