Oi nuclear plant's No. 4 reactor begins generating power

Oi nuclear power plant's No.4 reactor has started generating and transmitting electricity.

Power transmission from the 1.18-million-kilowatt reactor will cover the Kansai area in western Japan and part of Fukui Prefecture along the Sea of Japan.

It is expected to start full-capacity generation next Wednesday after gradually raising power output.

The first to resume operation was the Oi plant's No. 3 reactor which was brought to full operation on July 9.

When the No. 4 reactor begins full operation, the government will remove power-saving targets for Chubu Electric Power Co., Hokuriku Electric Power Co. and Chugoku Electric Power Co., while further easing the target for Shikoku Electric Power Co. from 7 percent to 5 percent. It is considering maintaining the 10 percent target-- recently reduced from 15 percent -- for Kansai Electric.

The No. 4 reactor was booted up Wednesday night and the following morning reached criticality -- the state at

which a chain reaction of nuclear fissions becomes self-sustaining. Its operations were idled July 22 last year for a periodic checkup.

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