OTSU, SHIGA PREF. –
Otsu District Court on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by residents of Osaka and Shiga prefectures to shut down three Kansai Electric Power nuclear plants along Wakasa Bay in Fukui Prefecture.
The court ruled that it could not recognize specific dangers posed by the No. 3 reactor at the Mihama plant, the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at the Oi plant, or the No. 1 to No. 4 reactors at the Takahama plant.
The court stated that the Nuclear Regulation Authority’s rule for estimating possible seismic tremors for seismic-proof designs based on the latest scientific and technical knowledge is rational to a certain extent.
The court also backed the NRA’s judgment that Kansai Electric’s measures to address the aging of the reactors meet its regulations.
At a news conference in the city of Otsu, Kenichi Ido, who leads the attorney team for the plaintiffs, said the ruling was unacceptable. The plaintiffs plan to appeal the ruling to a higher court.
Meanwhile, Kansai Electric said that the ruling reflects the court’s understanding of its claims.