Recent statements by Shizuoka Gov. Heita Kawakatsu concerning the stalled plan to use plutonium-uranium mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel at Chubu Electric Power Co.'s Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Omaezaki, Shizuoka Prefecture, highlight various contradictions in the central government's continuing pursuit of a nuclear fuel-cycle policy.
In an interview with Kyodo News and at a subsequent news conference in April, the governor said his prefecture's approval of the utility's plan to use MOX fuel at the Hamaoka No. 4 reactor — given before nuclear power safety was thrown into doubt by the March 2011 meltdowns at Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 plant — should be considered invalid.
Kawakatsu is suggesting that Chubu Electric will need to obtain the consent of the prefecture and host municipalities all over again if it plans to push ahead with using the plutonium-uranium fuel at Hamaoka.
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