Japanese Court Orders Suspension of Ikata Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 Operation

Likely to Impact Abe Administration's Nuclear Power Policy

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Japanese courts have issued an injunction to halt operations of Ikata Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 in Ehime Prefecture, Kyodo News reported on the 17th. This court decision is expected to affect the Abe Shinzo administration's policy on restarting nuclear power plants.

According to the report, the Hiroshima High Court overturned the first-instance court's dismissal and accepted the injunction appeal filed by nearby residents requesting the suspension of Ikata Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 operations due to risks of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The first-instance court, Yamaguchi District Court Iwakuni Branch, had rejected the injunction request from three residents on March 15 of last year to stop the operation of Ikata Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3.

Currently, Ikata Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3, operated by Shikoku Electric Power Company, is shut down for regular inspection. On the 15th, the extraction of mixed oxide (MOX) fuel, a recyclable nuclear fuel combining plutonium and uranium, was completed, and commercial operation was planned to begin on April 27. However, due to the court's decision on this day, resuming operations has become impossible.

Ikata Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 is one of the nine nuclear reactors that passed the new regulatory standards set by the Nuclear Regulation Authority of Japan and were restarted.

Previously, nearby residents filed an injunction request to halt operations of Ikata Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3, arguing that a fault line runs near the plant and that a massive earthquake could cause severe damage. They also raised concerns about the risk of pyroclastic flows (rapidly flowing volcanic ash and gases) reaching the plant in the event of an eruption of Mount Aso, an active volcano located 130 km away.

Regarding Ikata Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3, in 2017, the Hiroshima High Court ordered a suspension of operations citing the possibility of an eruption of Mount Aso. However, in a trial held in September 2018, this decision was overturned, allowing the plant to restart operations in October of the same year.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.