Damage by quake at nuclear power plant raises concern

TOKYO — In the aftermath of the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, oil leakage at the Shika Nuclear Power Plant in the most-affected central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa was over five times higher than the initially disclosed amount, the plant's operator has said.

Hokuriku Electric Power Company stated last week that due to the earthquake's impact, two external power supply transformers for Units 1 and 2 at the Shika plant were damaged. Specifically, one transformer for Unit 2 was reported to have leaked approximately 3,500 liters of oil, rendering a portion of the external power supply system inoperable.

However, the company admitted during a news conference on Friday that the actual oil leakage amounted to as much as 19,800 liters. The timeline for repairing the external power supply system remains uncertain.

Another transformer for Unit 2 at the plant has been found to have leaked approximately 100 liters of oil, it added.

Moreover, there have been reports of ground subsidence around the reactor building of Unit 1, though the company assured these conditions will not affect the safety of the Shika plant.

However, local media reported that there were "explosion sounds and a burning smell" near the Unit 2 transformer at the plant, which the power company explained as the automatic fire suppression system in action.

The quake has killed at least 128 people and heavy snowfall expected in Ishikawa later Sunday and through the night added to the troubles of rescue efforts.

The prefecture on Saturday declared a state of emergency in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Meanwhile, local media reported that another incident involving a coast guard aircraft occurred at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, two days after a fatal collision on Tuesday between a Japan Airlines passenger jet and a coast guard plane that was due to deliver relief goods to the quake-affected residents.

On Saturday, heavy machinery continued work to remove debris of the burned Airbus A350 for storage in a hangar to allow the runway to reopen. Transport Minister Tetsuo Saito said officials were aiming to reopen the runway on Monday. The wreckage of the coast guard plane had been cleared.

Xinhua - Agencies