Takahama No. 2 nuclear reactor in Japan restarted after 12-yr halt

Kansai Electric Power Co. on Friday rebooted its nearly 50-year-old No. 2 reactor at its Takahama nuclear plant in central Japan for the first time since 2011, becoming the 12th unit to be restarted in the country since the Fukushima accident.

The reboot in Fukui Prefecture means the Osaka-based utility has resumed operating all of its seven reactors after stricter safety standards were introduced following a nuclear meltdown crisis that occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi complex, triggered by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

The Takahama No. 2 unit began commercial operations in 1975 and is the second oldest in Japan following the 48-year-old No. 1 unit at the same plant, which was restarted in July after a 12-year halt.

The restart of the aging reactors comes as Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government stresses reliance on nuclear power generation in a bid to cut carbon emissions and ensure stable sources of energy, despite the Fukushima accident.

Japan's parliament in May enacted a bill to allow nuclear reactors in the country to be operated beyond the current limit of 60 years.

Kansai Electric plans to restart power generation and transmission at the No. 2 reactor on Wednesday before resuming commercial operations on Oct. 16.

==Kyodo