Data Fabrication of Nuclear Reactors

Chubu Electric Power (CEP), a power company which supplies electricity to central region of Japan, announced that it had been fabricated data for examination to resume nuclear reactors in Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant. The fabrication was using false data on estimation of maximum seismic motion that would possibly hit the reactors. The authority for regulation on nuclear power generation decided to halt its examination for resumption of reactors in Hamaoka.

The president of CEP, Kingo Hayashi, told in a press conference on January 5th that the data submitted to Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) in 2019 was false data, which had been preferrable for resumption of nuclear reactors #3 and #4 in Hamaoka power plant. The method to retrieve the data for maximum quake was different from what CEP explained to NRA for the examination, intensively fabricated by the staffs.

 

After East Japan Great Earthquake in 2011, which caused a severe accident in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant stopped operation of power generation. Its owner, CEP, plans to resume operation of reactor #3 to #5 and the reactors #3 and #4 is in the process of examination. The submitted data for maximum quake and tsunami had been approved by NRA in 2023 and 2024.

 

After the accident Fukushima, the government of Japan introduced strict regulation for nuclear reactors to resume their operation. The fabrication of data in Hamaoka was an attempt to pass the exam for resumption with manmade data, which was less likely to damage the reactors. Hayashi apologized about the wrong treatment of data, which would significantly erode confidence on CEP.

 

Two days later, NRA decided to stop examination for resumption of reactor #3 and #4 in Hamaoka. “It was a stupid behavior against regulation for safety. We need to thoroughly review our examination on their reactors,” said NRA Chairman, Shinsuke Yamanaka, in his press conference on January 7th. Yamanaka took the issue as “extremely serious and significant.”

 

Although CEP is going to make its internal investigation and submit a report, NRA plans to make its own investigation in Hamaoka plant and CEP’s headquarters in Nagoya. Since the investigation include governance of the company, it will last for several months. Hamaoka is the only nuclear power plant that CEP has. The company cannot expect resumption of nuclear reactors in Hamaoka anytime soon.

 

The 7th Strategic Energy Plan in 2025 changed Japan’s policy for power generation to “maximize the use” of nuclear power.” The government of Japan promoted resumption of nuclear power plants in Japan as much as possible. However, data fabrication in Hamaoka may slow down its effort for resumption, because examination of nuclear reactors is fundamentally doubted on its credibility by the people.

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