Kyushu Electric Power has started operations of the second reactor at the Sendai nuclear power station in Kagoshima Prefecture.
Fuel loading was completed at Sendai 2 on 13 October and the unit started up at 10:30am on 15 October.
The unit will be connected to the grid on October 21, and output will be gradually increased to full power by early November. Commercial operation could resume in mid-November following an inspection by the Nuclear Regulation Authority.
Sendai 1, an 890MW pressurised water reactor, restarted in August, becoming the first unit to resume operation under new post Fukushima safety standards that took effect in July 2013.
Japan currently has 43 operable reactors, 25 of which have applied for permission to restart. Takahama units 3&4 and Ikata 3 have all passed NRA safety inspections.
Earlier in October Ikata 3, an 890MW PWR located in Ehime Prefecture, received approval to restart from Ikata Town Assembly’s Special Committee on Nuclear Power as well as the Ehime Prefectural Assembly. Assuming the governor Tokihiro Nakamura gives the go ahead, the reactor could restart early in 2016 after pre-service inspections have taken place.
