The earthquake comes at a sensitive time for Japan’s nuclear industry, which has faced fierce opposition from some local residents after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that led to the meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear reactor. The disaster then cost the lives of around 20,000 people and destroyed entire cities.
The Japan Nuclear Regulatory Authority said that reactors at the company’s two nuclear power plants “Kansai Electric Power” in Ohi and Takahama in Fukui Prefecture, north of the main seismic site in Ishikawa Prefecture, were not affected by the earthquakes.
Ohi has two work units and Takahama has four. The two stations are located about 20 km from each other, and both are located in the affected area on the west coast of Japan.
The authority said Hokuriku Electric Power Company’s Shika nuclear power plant, which has two units and is about 250 km north of Ohi and closer to the epicenter of the strongest earthquake, has been out of service since the Fukushima disaster in 2011 and was not affected. from the earthquake.
There is no radiation risk
The authority added that “there is no risk of radiation leaks from nuclear power plants” in areas hit by earthquakes and tsunamis.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was in contact with the Japan Nuclear Authority, which confirmed there had been no unusual accidents at nuclear power plants in the affected area. “The agency will continue to monitor the situation,” it said in a statement.
A series of 21 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater hit central Japan in just 90 minutes on Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported. The strongest earthquake hit Ishikawa Prefecture at 4.10pm local time (08.10am CET), registering a magnitude of 7.6.
The quake caused waves nearly a meter high in areas along Japan’s western coast and neighboring South Korea, and authorities said larger waves could follow.
West Coast residents have been told to evacuate to higher ground due to the threat of a tsunami.
Fukushima disaster
Following the strong earthquake that hit northeastern Japan in March 2011, a 15-meter tsunami disrupted the power supply and cooling of three reactors at Fukushima-Daiichi, causing a major nuclear accident.
All of the country’s commercial reactors were shut down following the Fukushima-Daiichi accident and will not be able to resume operations until they have passed stringent new safety checks.
Before Fukushima-Daiichi, 54 nuclear power plants generated about 30 percent of the country’s electricity. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, this percentage fell to 7.2% in 2021.
Of Japan’s 33 functioning nuclear reactors, 12 have resumed operations after meeting safety standards.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government wants nuclear power to play a bigger role in efforts to reduce carbon emissions and ensure stable energy sources.
2024-01-01 17:40:17
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