The Fukuoka High Court on Wednesday rejected a bid by local residents to halt operations at reactor 3 and 4 of the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant in south-western Saga Prefecture, local media reported
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2019) The Fukuoka High Court on Wednesday rejected a bid by local residents to halt operations at reactor 3 and 4 of the Genkai Nuclear Power Plant in south-western Saga Prefecture, local media reported.The court, in fact, upheld the earlier decision by the Saga District Court in 2017 which also rejected the injunction.
"I cannot recognize that the nuclear reactor facility lacks safety features and there are specific risks that could result in serious damage," Presiding Judge Noriyuki Yamanouchi said, as cited by Kyodo news.
According to the plaintiffs, the plant operated by Kyushu Electric Power Co. lacks safety features and may be subjected to volcanic risks from Mount Aso which is only 80 miles from the facility.
Both reactors 3 and 4 were suspended for maintenance after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. However, in 2018 Kyushu Electric Power Co. restarted operations on them.
In the meantime, Reactors 1 and 2 remain offline and are due to be scrapped.
Prior to the 2011 disaster, Japan had generated about 30 percent of electricity from nuclear reactors and even planned to increase this amount. However, after the tragedy, many of the country's reactors were shut down completely or suspended.
