TOKYO ( AP) — Another Japanese nuclear reactor was taken off line for maintenance today, leaving the country with only one of its 54 reactors operational following last year’s devastating earthquake and tsunami.
The last reactor is expected to be shut down by early May, raising the possibility of power shortages across the nation as demand increases in the hot summer months.
The No. 6 reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa complex was taken off line early today by the Tokyo Electric Power Co. The utility also runs the plant in Fukushima, northeast of Tokyo, that suffered meltdowns, explosions and radiation leaks after the March 11 quake and tsunami.
Japanese reactors are taken off line every 13 months for regular checks. With concerns over nuclear safety high following the Fukushima crisis, none of the reactors that have been shut down for checks, and none that were already off line at the time of the disaster, have been allowed to restart.
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