Japanese Quake Leads to Nuclear Spill

July 19, 2007

On Wednesday, the mayor of Kashiwazaki, Japan, ordered that the nuclear power plant affected by a strong earthquake be shut down. The earthquake that occurred on Monday in the northwest part of Japan led to radiation leaks and burst pipes, and the mayor wanted to keep the nuclear plant closed until safety can be confirmed.

The Washington Post reports that the earthquake had a magnitude 6.8 and caused a leak of about 315 gallons of water containing radioactive material that was then flushed into the sea. The earthquake killed nine people and injured over 800.

On Tuesday, officials reported to the Washington Post that 50 instances of "malfunctioning and trouble" had been found. At the time, four of the plant's seven reactors were running. All of these reactors were shut down automatically by a safety device after the earthquake.

Tokyo Electric Power, the operator of the plant, reported that this quake was stronger than what the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa seven-reactor plant was prepared to deal with. Officials have told the Washington Post that none of the problems or leaks posed serious threats to people or the environment.

Source: Washington Post

Sponsored Recommendations

Blower Package Integration

March 20, 2024
See how an integrated blower package can save you time, money, and energy, in a wastewater treatment system. With package integration, you have a completely integrated blower ...

Strut Comparison Chart

March 12, 2024
Conduit support systems are an integral part of construction infrastructure. Compare steel, aluminum and fiberglass strut support systems.

Energy Efficient System Design for WWTPs

Feb. 7, 2024
System splitting with adaptive control reduces electrical, maintenance, and initial investment costs.

Blower Isentropic Efficiency Explained

Feb. 7, 2024
Learn more about isentropic efficiency and specific performance as they relate to blowers.