Sept. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Kansai Electric, Japan's second- biggest utility, said it restarted two nuclear reactors that had been shut for pipe inspections following an accident at the company's Mihama power plant.

Kansai Electric began operations to restart its Takahama No. 2 reactor and the Ohi No. 4 reactor yesterday, which were part of the first round of nuclear plant pipe inspections on Aug. 13, said Yoshiaki Shimada, a manager at the utility's Tokyo office.

The Osaka-based company plans to shut down the No. 1 reactor at its Takahama plant, and the Ohi No. 2 reactor tomorrow for checks, Shimada said. The Mihama No. 1 reactor was shut yesterday, ahead of schedule, for ``immediate'' pipe repairs, he said.

Superheated steam burst from a ruptured coolant water pipe at the No. 3 reactor of the Mihama plant, causing five deaths and injuring six others last month.

The following table lists the operational status of Kansai Electric Power Co.'s nuclear reactors as of Sept. 6.

Operational             Closed

Takahama Nos. 1, 2       Takahama Nos. 3, 4
Ohi Nos. 1, 2, 4         Ohi No. 3
                         Mihama Nos. 1, 2, 3

To contact the reporter on this story: Meggan Richard in Tokyo at mrichard3@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 5, 2004 23:12 EDT