Single HQ to Tackle Concurrent Accidents at Oi, Takahama N-Plants

June 13, 2018

Fukui- The Japanese government plans to concentrate response operations in a single headquarters if accidents occur simultaneously at the Oi and Takahama nuclear power plants in Fukui Prefecture, informed sources said Wednesday.

The two nuclear plants in central Japan, both run by Kansai Electric Power Co., are only some 13.5 kilometers away from each other.

The headquarters to deal with the same-time nuclear accidents will be launched at either of the two plants' off-site emergency response facilities, depending on which plant faces severer conditions, the sources said.

When the two plants' situations are seen worsening equally, the headquarters will be set up at the Oi plant's off-site facility, which is closer to an emergency helipad, the sources added.

In late April, the Cabinet Office presented the single headquarters plan to the governments of Fukui, Shiga and Kyoto prefectures, parts of which are located within 30-kilometer radii from the nuclear plants.

The Kyoto and Shiga governments raised no particular objections. But the Fukui government withheld clarifying its stance, saying it will continue discussing various matters including the likelihood of simultaneous accidents. Jiji Press