The Kyushu Electric Power Company of Japan said it began refueling Nuclear Power Unit 1 at the Sendai Nuclear Power Station on Tuesday after a pre-service inspection by the Japanese Nuclear Regulatory Authority.
The company submitted the application for pre-service inspection and was approved for construction work on the unit in March. The inspectors checked whether the site is performing at necessary safety levels and is following protocols set by the authority.
On May 25, the company also submitted an application to the Nuclear Regulatory Authority to perform a pre-service inspection on the second unit at the Sendai Nuclear Power Station.
A Japan Times article said the refueling process is part of preparations for restarting the plant. Nuclear plants in the country are required to undergo a restart to address safety concerns that had been major factors in the Fukushima plant disaster that took place in 2011. The unit at the Sendai power station is expected to be re-started in mid-August. The article said the nuclear authority also has cleared the second reactor at the facility for operations.
