Kyushu Electric announced a series of safety measures that it will undertake to heighten preparedness for both natural and man-made emergencies that could threaten the two Sendai nuclear power plant reactors that were restarted on Aug. 11 and Oct. 15, respectively.
The company's announcement coincides with post-Fukushima Daiihi disaster regulations that originally called for establishment of an emergency response centers to be operating by July 2018. However, that deadline has been extended to give operators more time to comply, as progress has been too slow to reach the original deadline. The deadline for Unit 1 is March 2020, while the deadline for Unit 2 is May 2020.
Kyushu Electric is expected to spend $775 million to enhance preparation for a terrorists attack or a natural disaster. The specific measures to be taken include reactor and the containment vessel cooling equipment, a filtered vent to lower the amount of radioactive dust entering the atmosphere, and equipment to help protect the containment vessel in the event of an explosion. In addition, a control room will be built with a back up power supply.
The utility, which was the first to restart a commercial reactor in Japan since the final shut down of the last operating reactor in September 2013, is planning to install batteries as a potential power source for emergencies. In addition, it will construct an earthquake resistant facility as accommodations to support workers at the new control room.
The company is also planning to increase the number of power transmission lines to the plant to six, up from the three now in use, and to upgrade the plant's high voltage switchyard.
Although Kyushu is the first utility to restart a reactor in Japan, it is the fourth to submit an application for the enhanced safety measures. The others who have applied include the Kansai Electric Power Co. for Unit 3 and 4 at the Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture, Asahi Shimbun reported.