Despite some local opposition, Tokyo has given the go-ahead for a test run of a reactor at the plant -- seen as a de facto resumption of the facility. The agreement of local communities is the last hurdle to a restart.

Operators say they have strengthened the seven-reactor plant 300 kilometres (185 miles) northwest of Tokyo since the 2007 quake which registered 6.8 on the Richter scale and led to a radioactive water spill into the Sea of Japan.

Municipalities where the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant is located have agreed that "the safety of the plant was secured after scientists concluded their discussions," Niigata prefecture official Takeshi Kumakura told AFP.

Niigata's governor, Hirohiko Izumida, said this week that "he regards the plant secure overall after having received a final report by the science committee" of the prefectural government, Kumakura said.

The governor Wednesday met the mayors of host communities Kashiwazaki city and Kariwa village to explain the decision, and "the mayors agreed that all debate on the safety of the plant has been completed," the official said.

A final decision will be made next time the three government chiefs meet, Kumakura said, adding that no firm date for the talks had been set.

However, some residents and scientists remain opposed to the plant's restart.

"There has not been enough discussion in terms of the evaluation of geological faults near the plant, which is essential in defining its quake-resistance strength," geology professor Masaaki Tateishi told AFP.

"I agreed to issuing a final report on the condition that it attaches an annexe saying there were dissenting opinions," said the Niigata University professor, who is also a member of the prefecture's science committee.

In a statement, Tateishi said: "I feel a deep sense of dismay after the committee reached a conclusion when it has yet to address residents' concerns."

The operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., said in a statement: "We appreciate that we have earned understanding for our past efforts regarding the plant" from the local communities.

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Paris (AFP) April 30, 2009
French nuclear power group Areva said Thursday it had filed a request for arbitration to try to stop Germany's Siemens creating a rival venture with Russian group Rosatom.