Nuclear reactor in central Japan halted after steam leak near turbine

FUKUI — The operator of a nuclear power plant in the central Japanese prefecture of Fukui said it halted its reactor Friday morning after discovering steam leaking from near a high-pressure turbine.

The steam did not contain radioactive material and there was no impact on the external environment, according to Kansai Electric Power Co. The utility said it cannot say when it will restart the No. 3 reactor at the Mihama plant.

The leak was detected around 4:10 a.m. Friday. Workers manually halted the reactor about 15 minutes later, according to the company.

In 2021, the No. 3 unit, which began operations in 1976, became the first nuclear reactor in Japan to operate beyond 40 years under new rules set after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex disaster. The regulations limit a reactor's service period to 40 years, but extensions of up to 20 years are permitted if approved by regulators.

Decommissioning work is proceeding for the two other aging reactors at the Mihama plant.

© KYODO