Japanese nuclear plants: Shimane safety showcase and Mihama manual shutdown

Chugoku Electric Power has showcased safety measures at the Shimane Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3, including a tsunami prevention wall and an earthquake emergency response center. The company aims to begin operations by fiscal year 2030, following the completion of all safety review items by the Nuclear Regulation Authority on September 10. If the review process proceeds through public comment, this could mark the first new nuclear reactor startup in Japan since the Fukushima Daiichi accident.

Separately, Kansai Electric Power performed a manual shutdown of the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 in Fukui Prefecture after discovering water droplets leaking from secondary system equipment. The leak, involving approximately three drops per second, did not contain radioactive substances and posed no environmental risk. This incident follows a previous steam leak issue at the same unit in May. Mihama Unit 3 is scheduled to reach 50 years of operation this December.