MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th March, 2021) Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority will order the operator of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in the western Niigata Prefecture, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), to fix security breaches in its anti-terrorism measures, the NHK broadcaster reported on Wednesday.
According to the Japanese broadcaster, the violations found during a probe by the regulator included the breakage of sensors for detecting intruders at the plant and the insufficiency of alternative security measures put in place.
Before making a final decision on the order, the watchdog will hear any refutes from the operator.
If the regulator decides that TEPCO has not properly taken the appropriate measures to prevent similar security breaches in the future, it will be banned from further operating the nuclear plant, the news outlet added.
All of Japan's 54 operating nuclear reactors were shut down in March 2011 after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami led to a leakage of radioactive material from the Fukushima Daiichi plant. Before the disaster, 30 percent of Japan's electricity came from nuclear power. Since the disaster, Japan has reopened some of the plants that complied with new tightened security rules.
