Review

Impact of the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake on Hokuriku Electric Power Company’s Shika Nuclear Power Station in Japan

Downloads

Hiramoto, K., & Shaw, R. (2024). Impact of the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake on Hokuriku Electric Power Company’s Shika Nuclear Power Station in Japan. Prevention and Treatment of Natural Disasters, 3(2), 229–244. https://doi.org/10.54963/ptnd.v3i2.270

Authors

  • Kenichiro Hiramoto
    Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Fujisawa 252‑0882, Japan
  • Rajib Shaw Graduate School of Media and Governance, Keio University, Fujisawa 252‑0882, Japan

On January 1, 2024, at 16:10, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture. The maximum seismic intensity of 7 was observed in Shika Town of Noto region. About 10 minutes after the earthquake, a major tsunami warning, tsunami warning, and tsunami advisory were issued. The Japan Meteorological Agency designated the earthquake as the “2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake”. The Shika Nuclear Power Station of Hokuriku Electric Power Co. is in the town. This paper reviews the damage to the Shika Nuclear Power Plants over the past month from the viewpoint of industrial accidents (NATECH) caused by natural hazards and the response to such accidents. The power plant had originally been subject to safety measures based on the "New Regulation Standards" after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident since 2011, but this time the station was hit by a tremor that exceeded expectations, and although it escaped external spills, there were reports of leaks of radioactive spent fuel storage pool water, oil leaks from transformers, tsunami, and damage to power transmission lines. Discussions held by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority also included problems with monitoring posts. In addition, many of the evacuation roads were closed at this time, and of the 11 national and prefectural roads designated as Shika Nuclear Power Station’s evacuation routes in the event of a nuclear accident, the majority, seven, were closed due to collapses or cracks. Furthermore, the repeated intensity and frequency of the earthquakes made it difficult to evacuate indoors and take protective measures against radiation, even at residences and designated evacuation centers. Although this series of disasters did not develop into a severe nuclear disaster that resulted in radiation leakage, the most important and necessary information, actions to utilize the wisdom of that are now being questioned once again for the protection of the lives and property of the people and the global environment.

Keywords:

2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake; Hokuriku Electric Power Company; Shika Nuclear Power Plant; Risk Communication; Nuclear Disaster; NATECH

Highlights

Received: 6 May 2024; Revised: 21 May 2024; Accepted: 18 June 2024; Published: 19 November 2024

References

  1. Earthquake in Noto District, Ishikawa Prefecture at 16:10 on January 1, 2024. Available online: https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/press/2401/01a/202401011810.html (accessed on 1 January 2024).
  2. Earthquake in Noto District, Ishikawa Prefecture at 16:10 on January 1, 2024 (2nd news report). Available online: https://www.jma.go.jp/jma/press/2401/01b/202401011810_2.html (accessed on 19 January 2024).
  3. Regarding the Noto Peninsula Earthquake of 2024. Available online: https://www.rikuden.co.jp/ (accessed on 19 January 2024).
  4. Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion, HERP,2022 : Seismic Activity in the Noto Region of Ishikawa Prefecture -Evaluation of Seismic Activity and Related Information. Available online: https://www.jishin.go.jp/resource/column/column_22aut_p02/ (accessed on 29 January 2024).
  5. An Overview of Topography and Geology of Noto Peninsula and Past Damage Earthquakes. Available online: http://earth.s.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/2007_notohanto-earthquake/2007_notohanto_earthquake_report/report1.html (accessed on 29 January 2024).
  6. Mechanism of the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake (Magnitude 7.6). Available online: https://www.kanazawa-u.ac.jp/research/centers/kud/hiramatsu-1 (accessed on 29 January 2024).
  7. Coastline Change Caused by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake Detected by ALOS-2 SAR Satellite Image (Jan. 4, 2024). Available online: https://www.gsi.go.jp/uchusokuchi/uchusokuchi-e31001.html (accessed on 17 May 2024).
  8. Overview and Notice of Power Plants. Available online: https://www.rikuden.co.jp/genshiryoku/shikagaiyou.html (accessed on 19 January 2024).
  9. An Overview of Shiga Nuclear Power Station. Available online: https://www.rikuden.co.jp/outline1/ (accessed on 23 January 2024).
  10. Application for Confirmation of Conformity with the New Regulation Standards for Shika NPP Unit 2. Available online: https://www.rikuden.co.jp/anzentaisaku/kijun/index.html (accessed on 23 January 2024).
  11. Press Release and Press Conference. Available online: https://www.rikuden.co.jp/press/atomic.html (accessed on 23 January 2024).
  12. Nuclear Regulation Authority 2023: Minutes of the 57th Meeting. Available online: https://warp.da.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/13588036/www.nra.go.jp/data/000465631.pdf (accessed on 24 July 2024).
  13. Okada, T., Savage, M.K., Sakai, S., et al. Shear wave splitting and seismic velocity structure in the focal area of the earthquake swarm and their relation with earthquake swarm activity in the Noto Peninsula, central Japan. Earth Planets Space 76, 24 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-024-01974-0.
  14. Agenda Item 4: Current Status of Shika Nuclear Power Station after the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and Future Responses Report. Available online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msKX45jD6mo&t=2724s (accessed on 12 February 2024).
  15. Majority of Evacuation Roads at Shika Nuclear Power Plant Cut off, 7 Routes Shaken from Effectiveness by Noto Earthquake. Available online: https://www.47news.jp/10463358.html posted by @47news_official on Jan 30, 2024 9:03pm JST (accessed on 30 January 2024).
  16. The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum. The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum Guidebook-Experiences from That Day. Lessons for the future. -The Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster Memorial Museum and Fukushima Innovation Coast Organization, Issued in March 2021, p. 23. Available online: https://www.fipo.or.jp/lore/shop (accessed on 21 May 2024).
  17. 6 Radiation Protection Facilities Damaged, 30 km Zone of Shika Nuclear Power Plant Partially Closed. Available online: https://www.47news.jp/10557208.html?fbclid=IwAR1jZAIHYepMNUCLE-zaYR5GvAmToh17 oKqSqTAio578s3X32MLj3dZZVLQ posted by @47news_official on Feb 21, 2024 9:55pm JST (accessed on 22 February 2024).
  18. The 1st Study Team on the Operation of Shelter-in-Place in the Event of a Nuclear Disaster (April 22, 2024). Available online: https://www.da.nra.go.jp/detail/NRA100001253 (accessed on 29 April 2024).