Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant Malfunctioned from Day One!

Problems Arise at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant

Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) operates the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, which stands out as the largest facility in Japan's Niigata prefecture in terms of production capacity. However, the plant is experiencing issues during its initial reactivation.

Reactor Restarted, but Technical Issues Encountered

After being shut down following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, the Unit 6 reactor was restarted yesterday after completing final inspections. Unfortunately, a similar technical failure occurred when the reactor went online.

Electrical Problem with Control Rods

The technical issue stemmed from malfunctions in the electrical system of the equipment operating the control rods. This caused the reactor to be stopped again due to the failure. Investigations into the source of the problem are ongoing.

Radioactivity Levels Under Control

Niigata Prefecture has reported that no abnormal radioactivity levels have been detected in surrounding areas. Control rods are vital for safely managing nuclear fission processes within reactors.

Had Been Offline Since 2012, Restart Approval Obtained

Following the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, all reactors at TEPCO's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant were shut down in 2012. The Governor of Niigata, Hanazumi Hideyo, had recently approved the restart of one reactor.

This development means that a total of 15 out of the 33 nuclear reactors in Japan have been restarted since the Fukushima disaster. TEPCO aims to ensure public safety by devising solutions regarding the status of this reactor.