Japan Risks More Nuclear Damage? Two Reactors Leak Near Ishikawa Prefecture

A significant earthquake that hit Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, has caused water containing radioactive material to overflow from the cooling tanks at a local nuclear power plant.

NHK Broadcasting reported on the 2nd that the Shika Nuclear Power Plant, operated by Hokuriku Electric Power, has experienced an oil leak due to damage to the transformer piping caused by shaking on the second basement floor of the reactor building. In addition, water containing radioactive material overflowed from the cooling tank. Although the power plant has been shut down since the Tokyo Electric Power incident in 2011, the cooling system for the tank storing used nuclear fuel was still operating.

The Shika Nuclear Power Plant stated, “Approximately 950 gallons of oil leaked from Unit 1 and about 924 gallons from Unit 2,” and added, “Although oil has leaked, Units 1 and 2 are currently operating normally with external power supply, and we have secured a week’s worth of fuel for the emergency diesel generator.”

It also added, “There is no problem with the cooling function of the tank, but the water in the tank overflowed due to the earthquake’s impact. The overflowing water is small, so it did not flow out of the power plant building but spilled on the floor.” The Shika Nuclear Power Plant stated that there are no issues so far, and they are doing their best to prevent any possible accidents.

At the neighboring Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata Prefecture, some water stored in the cooling tank for used nuclear fuel also overflowed. Although this power plant has been shut down since 2011, it has continuously used power to cool the heat generated from nuclear fuel.

The state-run Xinhua News Agency in China reported that the Shika and Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plants experienced water overflow, highlighting the potential risk of radioactive material exposure. The agency emphasized the severity of the situation, noting that a power outage to the cooling tanks, resulting in high-dose radiation exposure, could lead to a major disaster. It urged the Japanese government to prioritize maintaining power supply to these nuclear facilities while carrying out rescue operations.