TEPCO Fixes Instrument Glitch at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa N-Plant

Tokyo, Feb. 14 (Jiji Press)–Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. said Saturday it has fixed a malfunction found in a measuring instrument for the No. 6 reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, central Japan, by replacing parts. Due to the malfunction, the planned start of power generation and transmission from the reactor scheduled for Monday afternoon is expected to be delayed by about half a day. As part of the restart process, TEPCO temporarily halted the reactor to inspect the inside of the containment vessel. As no other abnormalities were found, the reactor was restarted on Saturday evening. The malfunction occurred in an auxiliary instrument of a neutron detector that monitors conditions inside the reactor, which was restarted in January for the first time in 13 years and 10 months. On Thursday evening, while the instrument was being electrically moved in and out within the containment vessel, it failed to operate normally. A faulty connection was found in the switch that operates the instrument. After the replacement of parts, the instrument began functioning normally. TEPCO plans to halt the reactor again on Friday, after power generation and transmission begin, to inspect turbine-related equipment and other systems for any abnormalities. A final inspection is scheduled for March 18. Following confirmation by the Nuclear Regulation Authority, the reactor is expected to start commercial operation. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]