LNG

Oct 9 (LNGJ) - Japan could have two nuclear plants on line soon, though LNG demand is likely to be unaffected by competition from this sector until about a dozen plants restart. The Shikoku Electric Power Ikata nuclear plant in Ehime prefecture, having previous received approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority in July to restart one of three reactors, has now been approved by the Ehime prefectural assembly. No plants can restart without local political approval. On August 11, Kyushu Electric Power became the first Japanese utility to restart a nuclear reactor at its Sendai plant in Kagoshima prefecture following the gradual national shutdown post-Fukushima.