Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority on Thursday endorsed the restart of two more nuclear reactors, the third and fourth to get a regulatory blessing since the country closed down its 48 reactors in the aftermath of the March 2011 disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.
Kansai Electric Power Company has posted losses for the past four years and has filed to get the Takahama nuclear facility back online. This may not happen for months, however, as there are still some hurdles to overcome.
While given an initial green light, Kansai Electric Power's Takahama reactors still require NRA approval on design upgrades. They will also undergo operational checks. In addition, local authorities must approve the restarts, The Sun Daily reported.
Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is pushing for the restart of nuclear power plants for economical reasons. The country's trade deficit has reached record highs in recent months, largely due to expensive fossil fuel imports.
In December, Kansai Electric filed for approval of a 10 percent rate hike for customers to mitigate the higher costs of supplying electricity with the country's nuclear power plants shuttered.
The Sendai Nuclear Power Plant was the first closed plant to be given approval for a restart. That plant in south-western Japan is owned and operated by the Kyushu Electric Power Company. With local approval granted, the restart for that facility is expected to occur in June, Reuters reported.