高浜原発「合格」 再稼働に政府支援が不可欠だ

どんなに対策を尽くしても自然災害には勝てない。
福島で実証されています。
もう一つ事故が起きないとわからないみたいですね。
（スラチャイ）

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Government support indispensable for restart of nuclear power plants
高浜原発「合格」　再稼働に政府支援が不可欠だ

Many hurdles remain to be cleared even after passing safety screenings.
　安全審査に「合格」したとはいえ、再稼働への課題はなお多い。

The Nuclear Regulation Authority has compiled a draft report of the screening results for the Nos. 3 and 4 reactors at Kansai Electric Power Co.’s Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture, effectively indicating that the reactors have passed safety checks for their reactivation.
　原子力規制委員会は、関西電力高浜原子力発電所（福井県）３、４号機の審査合格証に当たる審査書案を決定した。

This brings to four the number of reactors effectively approved as meeting new safety requirements that were established in the wake of the 2011 nuclear disaster at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. The four include the Nos. 1 and 2 reactors at Kyushu Electric Power Co.’s Sendai nuclear power station in Kagoshima Prefecture, which were approved for reactivation this autumn.
　東京電力福島第一原発事故を踏まえた新たな規制基準に適合していると認められた原発は、今秋の九州電力川内原発を含め、これで４基になった。

We want the NRA to proceed with safety confirmation of the remaining nuclear reactors without delay.
他の原発についても、規制委は安全確認を遅滞なく進めてもらいたい。

The NRA will hereafter screen plans for reinforcement work, maintenance and inspection systems and emergency response manuals at the Takahama plant. One year and five months have passed since Kansai Electric applied for safety screenings in July last year. It is natural to put top priority on safety, but an efficient screening process is also important.
　規制委は今後、高浜原発の補強工事計画や保守点検体制、緊急時対応手順などを審査する。関電による昨年７月の審査申請から１年５か月が過ぎている。安全最優先は当然だが、効率性も重要だ。

With the operations of all its 11 nuclear reactors suspended, Kansai Electric has been walking a tightrope regarding power supply. The utility is considering its second rate hike since the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
　保有原発が全て停止し、関電の電力供給は綱渡りの状況が続く。東日本大震災以降、２度目の電気料金値上げも検討している。

This situation will take a turn for the better if operations are resumed at the two reactors at the Takahama plant.
　再稼働にこぎ着ければ、状況は改善しよう。

To help ensure the safety of the Takahama plant, Kansai Electric has raised the intensity of its maximum presumed earthquake to 1.3 times the level presumed before the 2011 earthquake. It also raised the height of its maximum presumed tsunami to four times the previous level.
　高浜原発の安全確保のため、関電は、想定する地震の規模を震災前の１・３倍に、津波の高さを４倍超に引き上げた。
従来は検討の対象外だった竜巻など他の災害も考慮した。自然災害への備えは大幅に強化されたと言える。

The utility also took into consideration other kinds of disasters, such as tornadoes, that were not subject to conventional examinations, when working out its safety measures. Thus it is safe to say that precautionary and response measures have been bolstered significantly regarding natural disasters.
従来は検討の対象外だった竜巻など他の災害も考慮した。自然災害への備えは大幅に強化されたと言える。

Safety assurance steps vital

Kansai Electric must steadfastly implement such principal safety measures as construction of seawalls, reinforcement of piping systems and improvement of maintenance and inspection. To help prevent human error in handling newly installed devices and equipment, the utility must repeatedly train its plant workers.
　関電は、対策の柱である防潮堤整備や配管補強工事、保守点検の充実などをしっかり進めねばならない。新たに追加された機器や設備の取り扱いなどでの人的ミスを防ぐため、現場の作業員の訓練を重ねることも求められる。

Such steady efforts will be indispensable to obtaining the understanding of relevant local governments in restarting the reactors.
　再稼働に対する周辺自治体の理解を得る上でも、こうした着実な取り組みが欠かせない。

As for the Sendai nuclear plant, the approval given by the Kagoshima prefectural government and the Satsumasendai municipal government has opened the prospect for resuming operations.
　川内原発では、鹿児島県と地元の薩摩川内市の同意により、再稼働へのめどがついた。

Concerning the Takahama plant, Fukui Gov. Issei Nishikawa said “the range of areas that must give approval for restarting the reactors is Fukui Prefecture and the town” where the plant is located. The Takahama municipal government shows a certain understanding about restarting the reactors. Disaster prevention and response measures, as well as evacuation plans, have been worked out by surrounding local governments with the support of the central government.
　高浜原発についても、福井県の西川一誠知事は「同意の（必要な）範囲は福井県と地元の町」と述べ、立地する高浜町も再稼働に一定の理解を示している。周辺自治体では、防災対策や避難計画の整備が政府の支援で進んでいる。

The Kyoto and Shiga prefectural governments have called for Kansai Electric to ask for their approval for restarting the reactors at the Takahama plant on the grounds that the compilation of evacuation plans has been made mandatory for areas located within a radius of about 30 kilometers from nuclear plants. The two prefectures have also asked the utility to conclude a safety agreement.
　京都府と滋賀県は、原発から概おおむね３０キロ・メートル圏内が避難計画策定の範囲になったことを根拠に、同意を得るよう求めている。関電に安全協定の締結も迫っている。

But the central government must be responsible for making safety judgments from a highly technical standpoint. To help alleviate local anxiety, it is essential for the government to take the initiative in explaining in detail the safety measures currently in place.
　だが、安全性の判断は、政府が高度に専門的な観点から責任を持つべきものだ。地元の不安を軽減するには、政府が前面に立ち、安全確保策の現状を丁寧に説明することが大切になる。

The government must work toward increasing public understanding of the need for restarting reactors as well as disaster prevention and response measures.
　再稼働の必要性や、防災対策に関しても、理解を広げるよう努めることが肝要である。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 19, 2014)Speech