The Otsu District Court¡¯s provisional injunction earlier this month ordering Kansai Electric Power Co. to shut down reactors 3 and 4 at its Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture ¡ª against which the utility filed a complaint last week¡ª carries a significance that other power companies, the government and the nation¡¯s nuclear regulators must not ignore.
The court charged that Kepco¡¯s explanations as to why the reactors¡¯ safety in the event of severe accidents is secure are inadequate, called on the national government to develop standards for evacuation plans for residents in the event of a nuclear accident, and expressed concerns about the Nuclear Regulation Authority¡¯s basic approach toward nuclear safety following the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.
The power industry and the government should take the decision as a warning that they should not push for the restart of idled plants unless they can fully ensure the plants¡¯ safety and are prepared to adequately protect residents in the event of a major accident.
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