Japan's Kansai Electric to shut down nuclear reactor due to hole in equipment


10/14/2024

Kansai Electric Power Co. in Japan reported the closure of a nuclear reactor due to the detection of a small hole in a pipeline.



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The third reactor at the Mihama nuclear power plant in Fukui prefecture will undergo inspection, resulting in its suspension, as announced by the company in a statement. The specific time of the shutdown and when the reactor would be restarted was not provided.

A breach was found in a pipe that releases water from the cooling system into the ocean. Company officials stressed that there have been no documented effects of radiation on the environment.

Bloomberg notes that following the incident, Kansai Electric has decided to revoke a tender for the sale of a batch of liquefied natural gas scheduled for delivery in December. The closing of the nuclear reactor may cause a rise in the need for electricity produced from natural gas or coal.

source: bloomberg.com