FUKUI, May 12 (News On Japan) –
A crack was discovered within the cowl surrounding the high-pressure turbine at Kansai Electric Power’s Mihama Nuclear Power Plant No. 3 reactor in Mihama, Fukui Prefecture, following a steam leak that occurred final week, the utility stated.
Workers confirmed on May eighth that steam was leaking to a top of round two to 3 meters above the high-pressure turbine on the reactor facility, prompting the plant to be manually shut down.
Subsequent investigations by Kansai Electric revealed a crack within the cowl surrounding the turbine.
The crack measured roughly 8 centimeters vast and 1 centimeter lengthy. An inspection of the encompassing materials discovered that sections initially 20 millimeters thick had thinned to as little as 1 millimeter.
According to the utility, routine visible inspections performed to date had not detected indicators of corrosion or different abnormalities. The part had not undergone substitute or restore because the reactor started operations in 1976.
Kansai Electric stated the reason for the crack stays beneath investigation, and no timetable has been set for restarting the reactor.
Source: YOMIURI