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Kyodo

The operator of a nuclear power plant in central Japan said on Monday its employees may have used cherry-picked data for a potential earthquake in quake-resistance tests at the plant to pass the regulatory screening for restart.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said the same day it found “wrongdoing” by Chubu Electric Power in the screening process and halted the review.
The incident is a major setback for the Japanese government. Concerns over the safety of nuclear power plants grew strong in Japan after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis.
But the government is pushing ahead with the resumption of reactors under stricter safety rules to cut greenhouse gas emissions and ensure a stable power supply.
The utility halted operations at the power plant in May 2011 like other nuclear power plants in Japan following the nuclear disaster.
“This is unbelievable. It completely shatters the trust in the operator,” a senior NRA executive said. “It will make people question its eligibility.”
The Hamaoka nuclear power plant is located in an area where a Nankai Trough megaquake in the Pacific is expected to occur.
Chubu Electric applied for screenings to restart the No 3 and No 4 reactors at the Hamaoka complex in Shizuoka prefecture from 2014 to 2015.


The utility told the safety watchdog that it had picked a type of earthquake wave that was closest to the average among 20 different patterns for calculating the so-called standard seismic motion or the maximum shaking that the reactors could withstand during a quake.
But employees in charge may have intentionally chosen it to smooth the screening process, according to the company. Chubu Electric has set up a panel of lawyers to look into the matter.
“We sincerely apologise for the incident,” president Kingo Hayashi said at a press conference in Nagoya. “The actions could potentially shake the foundations of the nuclear power business.”
According to the NRA, a whistle-blower contacted the watchdog in February last year about the matter. The regulators largely approved the standard seismic motion in September 2023.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on Monday called on Chubu Electric to submit a report in accordance with the Electricity Business Act.
The operator said in November it found 20 cases of misconduct in contracts and processes related to safety at the Hamaoka nuclear power plant.
The Hamaoka nuclear complex is the only nuclear plant operated by Chubu Electric.


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Chubu Electric accused of falsifying quake-resistance data at the Hamaoka plant to pass the regulatory screening for restart


Chubu Electric accused of falsifying quake-resistance data at the Hamaoka plant to pass the regulatory screening for restart.


Fukushima nuclear disaster and water release

Earthquakes

Energy

Data fraud scandal hits Japan nuclear power plant in megaquake zone

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chubu Electric accused of falsifying quake-resistance data at the Hamaoka plant to pass the regulatory screening for restart

Chubu Electric accused of falsifying quake-resistance data at the Hamaoka plant to pass the regulatory screening for restart