22 Feb (NucNet): Kansai Electric Power Company (Kepco) has put off preparatory work for restarting its Takahama-4 nuclear reactor in Fukui Prefecture, southwest Japan, after a leak of radioactive water was discovered at the weekend.
Kepco said it is continuing to investigate the cause of the leak, which was discovered in an auxiliary building after an alarm sounded at 15:42 local time on 20 February 2016.
Kepco had planned on Sunday to test the reactor and pipes carrying coolant water by raising the pressures and temperatures to near normal operational levels.
This work was tentatively put off until today or possibly even later, Kepco said. The incident did not result in any radioactive influence on the surrounding environment, Kepco said.
There was no impact on the plant’s operating parameters, and the facility is in a stable condition.
Fuel loading was completed at Takahama-4 earlier this month.
According to the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, Kepco had intended to restart the unit at the end of February and resume commercial operation at the end of March.
Units 3 and 4 at the four-unit Takahama station were given the green light for restart after the Fukui district court lifted a temporary injunction issued in April 2015.
Takahama-3 was restarted on 29 January 2016.
Both Takahama units are 830-MW pressurised water reactors.
