Japan: Company to Sue Hitachi Over Nuclear Reactor Accident

Text of report in English by Japan’s largest news agency Kyodo

Nagoya, Sept. 10 Kyodo – Chubu Electric Power Co. said Wednesday it has decided to file a damages suit against Hitachi Ltd., seeking 41.8 billion yen in compensation over a reactor accident at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station in Shizuoka Prefecture.

In the suit to be filed with the Tokyo District Court, the utility firm will claim it suffered financial losses as it was forced to run thermal power stations at higher costs in lieu of the No. 5 reactor to cover a power shortage, the firm said.

It is rare for a utility firm to file a damages suit against a manufacturer over a nuclear reactor accident, seeking recovery of lost earnings.

The No. 5 reactor at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station was halted in June 2006 after the blades of a turbine were found to have come off. Operations were resumed in March last year.

Chubu Electric and Hitachi, which made the turbine, have agreed that Hitachi will bear all expenses directly related to rebuilding of the turbine, Chubu Electric sources said earlier.

Chubu Power had also requested in negotiations that Hitachi pay the fuel costs for running thermal power stations but the negotiations broke down, the sources said.

Originally published by Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 0729 10 Sep 08.

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