Steam Leak at Japan's Mihama Nuclear Plant; Kansai Electric Says No Radiation Released
Kansai Electric Power Co. announced a steam leak at the No. 3 reactor of its Mihama Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture. The company stated that the leaked steam contained no radioactive materials and did not affect the outside environment. The reactor was manually shut down.
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- 📰 Published: May 8, 2026 at 12:14
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Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO) reported a steam leak around the turbine of the No. 3 reactor at the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture. The reactor was manually shut down approximately 15 minutes after the leak was detected by monitoring cameras at around 4:10 AM. KEPCO confirmed the leak stopped by 4:45 AM. The company is investigating the exact location and cause of the leak. The No. 3 reactor, with an output of 826,000 kilowatts, is nearing its 50th year of operation. KEPCO stated that the restart date for the reactor is currently unknown due to the ongoing investigation. No injuries were reported. The Mihama No. 3 reactor resumed operation in 2021 after a long shutdown following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. It had previously been shut down in October 2004 due to a pipe rupture.
FAQ
What happened at the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant?
A steam leak occurred around the turbine of the No. 3 reactor.
Was there any release of radioactive material?
No, Kansai Electric Power Co. stated that the leaked steam contained no radioactive materials.
What was the immediate action taken?
The reactor was manually shut down.
When did the Mihama No. 3 reactor previously resume operation?
It resumed operation in 2021 after a long shutdown following the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.