UPDATE 1-Japan's Hokuriku to resume ops at nuclear unit

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TOKYO, May 15 (Reuters) - Japanese utility Hokuriku Electric Power Co (9505.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said on Thursday that it would resume generating electricity at full capacity at its 1,206-megawatt Shika No.2 nuclear generator, after ending a trial operation on Wednesday evening.

The trial was ended after confirming the unit could operate at up to 80 percent of capacity with no problems, a company spokesman said.

The utility was preparing to resume generating electricity from around Friday, though it would take about a week to gradually raise output to full capacity, he added.

Hokuriku Electric initially shut the unit in July 2006 after the government instructed the firm to inspect its turbines.

The turbines are the same type as those of a Chubu Electric Power Co (9502.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) unit that had shut automatically due to turbine problems, prompting the government order to Hokuriku. [ID:nT345653]

Hokuriku Electric restarted the unit in April for the first time in nearly two years, but technical trouble led to an unplanned shutdown soon after.

The unit was restarted again on May 9 for the trial operation. (Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori)