The Miyagi prefectural assembly approved a petition to restart the No. 2 reactor at Tohoku Electric Power Co.'s Onagawa nuclear power plant in Miyagi Prefecture at a plenary session Thursday.
The prefectural assembly's approval followed approvals by the assemblies of the nuclear plant's host municipalities, Onagawa and Ishinomaki, both in the prefecture.
Miyagi Gov. Yoshihiro Murai told reporters: "We have reached a major milestone. I take the prefectural assembly's decision very seriously." The governor is expected to express his support for the restart of the reactor as early as before the end of November.
After obtaining support from Murai, Tohoku Electric Power is expected to restart the reactor after the end of fiscal 2022, by when the power company plans to complete work on safety measures, including the construction of a seawall as high as 29 meters above sea level.
Since the 2013 implementation of stricter safety screenings under new regulation standards, the assemblies of five prefectures that are home to nuclear power plants have given approval for resumption of the plants' operation. The move by the Miyagi assembly is the sixth case, but the first in a prefecture with a plant that was directly affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami.
The No. 2 reactor at the Onagawa nuclear power plant passed a safety screening by the Nuclear Regulation Authority in February, which is a prerequisite for restarting a nuclear reactor. In March, Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshi Kajiyama asked for Murai's understanding for the resumption.
The petition was submitted by the Onagawa Town Commerce and Industry Association. At the plenary session, prefectural assembly member Koshi Sasaki, who supports restarting the reactor, pointed out that the earthquake did not cause an accident at the Onagawa nuclear power plant.
"All maximum possible safety assessment has been thoroughly conducted. Both the public and private sectors should make efforts to ensure a stable supply of electricity," said Sasaki, who belongs to the assembly's largest caucus, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Kenmin Kaigi.
In the vote of 56 assembly members, excluding the chairman, 35 voted in favor of the petition.
Murai is preparing to hold a meeting of city, town and village mayors on Nov. 9. After he listens to their opinions, he will talk with Onagawa Mayor Yoshiaki Suda and Ishinomaki Mayor Hiroshi Kameyama within November. Then he is expected to officially express his support for the resumption.
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