Water Leak at Pipe Joint of Primary Cooling Pump in Unit 2 of Takahama Nuclear Power Plant; Kansai Electric Confirms No Radioactive Impact

Kansai Electric Power announced on August 3 that a water leak was found at a cooling water pipe joint in Unit 2 of the Takahama Nuclear Power Plant in July. According to Kansai Electric Power, an inspection crew discovered the issue during a check inside the intermediate building on July 11, with a leak volume of approximately 3.4 liters, and repairs were carried out on the 14th.

The leak occurred at the pipe connection of the No. 1 cooling water pump during a periodic inspection. The pipe has an outer diameter of 2 centimeters, is secured by threaded fittings, and was sealed with sealing tape. Kansai Electric Power preliminarily determined that the leak may have been caused by tape deterioration due to friction or insufficient wrapping.

Currently, Kansai Electric Power re-wrapped the sealing tape on the 14th, and Unit 2 of the Takahama Nuclear Power Plant resumed normal operation on July 16, with no other abnormalities identified to date. It is worth noting that the taped section had undergone a disassembly inspection in 2018, when the plant was in a long-term shutdown state.

Kansai Electric Power stated that no radioactive substances were detected in the leaked water, and there has been no impact on the environment. The company will further investigate the specific causes and take appropriate measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring.