Regulations Played 'Critical Role' At Kashiwazaki Kariwa
Written by NucNet
Friday, 27 June 2008
27 Jun (NucNet): Design and safety regulations played a critical role
in keeping the seven-unit Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant in
Japan robust when an earthquake struck in July 2007, the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said.
A workshop on designing and maintaining nuclear plants to withstand severe external hazards heard the earthquake exceeded the level of the seismic input taken into account in the design of the plant.
Other conclusions of the workshop, held in Japan, included:
Seismic hazard evaluation continues to be a key element of assuring seismic safety of a nuclear plant;
Site-specific information and a full understanding of the geological and tectonic features of an nuclear plant's site are critical to seismic safety;
Lessons from the Kashiwazaki Kariwa experience are providing valuable input to the IAEA's safety standards.
During the workshop, nuclear power design and earthquake engineering specialists presented case studies on how countries around the world are designing plants for assuring seismic ruggedness. The IAEA said many presenters emphasised the importance of knowledge sharing as a key factor in influencing new plant construction.
The IAEA conducted two site missions to the Kashiwazaki Kariwa plant after the 2007 quake and found no significant damage to the integrity of the plant.
Related reports in the NucNet database (available to subscribers)
No Environmental Impact As 3 Units Shut Down In Japan Earthquake (News No. 168, 17 July 2007)
Kashiwazaki Kariwa Damage 'Less than Expected' Says IAEA (News No. 192, 14 August 2007)
