Earthquake-hit unit gets OK for full output
02 June 2009
Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) has been given approval by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Meti) to raise output at unit 7 of its Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant to 100% as part of a test run. The 1315 MWe Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) was restarted on 9 May after almost 22 months of checks and repairs following the 6.8 magnitude Niigata Chuetsu offshore earthquake of 16 July 2007. Tepco had gradually increased power output at the reactor, reaching 75% on 19 May, and has now been given permission to increase power to 100% based on successes achived in the trial run so far. Unit 7 is the first of the plant's seven reactors to be restarted - the others are still being prepared for restart.