Mayor refuses to accept spent duel from Kansai electric n-plants

January 8, 2018

Mutsu, Aomori Pref.- The head of the northeastern Japan city of Mutsu has voiced his stance of not accepting spent fuel from Kansai Electric Power Co.'s three nuclear power stations for temporary storage.

In response to a media report that Kansai Electric is considering temporarily keeping spent nuclear fuel from the three plants at an interim storage facility in the Aomori Prefecture city, Mutsu Mayor Soichiro Miyashita told a hurriedly arranged press conference on Sunday, "I've heard nothing about the reported plan from Kansai Electric or the central or prefectural governments."

"We can't accept such a plan at the moment," he stressed.

Explaining the reason for holding the unscheduled press conference, Miyashita said, "We need to firmly show our thoughts in order to wipe out concerns among residents."

All of the three Kansai Electric nuclear power stations--the Takahama, Oi and Mihama plants--are located in the central prefecture of Fukui.

The power supplier, which serves the Kansai western Japan region, has been urged by Fukui Governor Issei Nishikawa to move spent fuel from the three facilities out of the prefecture. Kansai Electric has indicated that it would make a decision as to the request by the end of 2018. Jiji Press