Mihama FAC Rupture Information Page
Summary A piping rupture likely caused by flow accelerated corrosion and/or cavitation-erosion occurred at Mihama-3 at 3:28pm on August 9, 2004, killing four and injuring seven. One of the injured men later died, bringing the total to five fatalities. The rupture was in the condensate system, upstream of the feedwater pumps (diagram), similar to the Surry and Loviisa locations. According to Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), the rupture was 560mm (22 in) in size. The pipe wall at the rupture location had thinned from 10mm (394 mils) to 1.5mm (59 mils) . Mihama-3 entered commercial service 28 years ago and is a 826 MWe (gross) Mitsubishi-built PWR located 200 miles west of Tokyo. The AP reports that sections of the failed line were examined in 1996, recommended for additional inspections in 2003, and scheduled for reinspection August 14 (five days after the rupture).
Our sympathies go out to the family, friends, and colleagues of those killed or injured in this tragic accident.
Images Click the thumbnails below to see the images.
Resource Links
Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO home page)
Kansai Electric Press Releases
NISA Press Releases (the Japanese nuclear regulator, four press releases)
System Overview (simplified heat balance diagram showing rupture location)
IAEA (short press release)
News Links (in chronological order of posting, most recent at top):
-------------------------------------------- Week of 9/13/04 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Daily Yomiuri reports that the Mihama rupture is expected to cost Kansai Electric more than 10 billion yen (approximately $US 91 million)
Energy Pulse Fatal Mihama Accident Might Permanently Rupture Japan's Confidence in Nuclear Power
Daily Yomiuri Impact of Nuclear Plant Accident Still Strong
Bloomberg.com Kansai Electric Says Deadline on End of Reactor Checks May Slip
Asahi.com Police Believe Accident Could Have Been Prevented
Japan Today
Kansai Electric head to get 3-month, 50% pay cut
Business
Insurance Nuclear claims not expected from plant accident
-------------------------------------------- Week of 9/6/04 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Kansai Press Release Results of Investigation and Immediate Actions to be Taken
Environmentalists for Nuclear Energy Causes of the industrial accident at Mihama in Japan
Bloomberg.com Some Reactors Restarted Following Rupture
The Japan Times 150 Police officers search nuclear plant in
Mihama over fatal accident
Asahi.com Editorial: Nuclear reactor accident
-------------------------------------------- Wednesday 8/25/04 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Mainichi Daily News 5th Worker injured in Fukui nuke accident dies
Atomstopp An Anti-Nuke article with some technical details
Daily Yomiuri Prosecutors to get papers on KEPCO over blowout
-------------------------------------------- Monday 8/23/04 ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Japan Times MHI used notebooks to keep track of reactor pipes
Al Jazeera Mishap may kill off Japan nuclear plants
-------------------------------------------- Friday 8/20/04 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
AP/NYTimes Officials Grill Operator Over Nuke Mishap
NISA Japanese Licensees Instructed to Compile Pipe Thinning Reports
-------------------------------------------- Thursday 8/19/04 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Daily Yomiuri
Police to seize burst N-plant pipe
The Japan Times Labor offices to send Kepco case to prosecutors
Daily Yomiuri
Safety of N-plants in doubt
Asahi.com Agency to tighten pipe erosion checks
Japan Today KEPCO to shut down Takahama reactor
-------------------------------------------- Wednesday 8/18/04-----------------------------------------------------------------
Khaleej Times No new Japan nuke shutdowns needed after checks
-------------------------------------------- Tuesday 8/17/04 --------------------------------------------------------------------
Asahi.com Agency to tighten pipe erosion checks/Cavitation May Have Caused Rupture
-------------------------------------------- Monday 8/16/04
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Kepco Press
Release Status of Other Kepco Units (note attached
Appendix with technical detail)
Kepco Press Release Status of Victims and General Update
Asahi.com Accident shelves nuclear fuel projects
The Japan Times Kepco to halt, check all 11 of its reactors
-------------------------------------------- Friday 8/13/04 ----------------------------------------------------------------------
AP/NYTimes Japan Utility to Shut Down All Nuke Plants
Bloomberg Kansai Electric May Halt 8 Operating Units After Accident
Asahi.com Criminal charges sought in fatal nuclear plant accident
-------------------------------------------- Thursday 8/12/04 -------------------------------------------------------------------
Boston Herald Japan orders nuke inspection
-------------------------------------------- Wednesday 8/11/04 and earlier --------------------------------------------------
NY Times Rust and Neglect Cited at Japan Atom Plant
Asahi.com (a standard media report, but some technical detail)
Chicago Sun Times Warning ignored about nuclear plant
AP
Report Japan scrutinizes nuclear safety after fatal accident at
reactor
China View Japan to strengthen inspection on nuclear plant operator
Voice of America (updated) Police Probe Fatal Nuclear Accident in Japan
NY Times Update Corrosion Cited in Pipe That Burst
International Herald Tribune Safety Checks Neglected at Nuclear Plant
BBC Nuclear Plant Accident Splits Japanese Press
Indiana Gazette Investigators Arrive at Nuclear Plant
Donga Japanese Are Ballsy?… Having Fun in Water Near Nuclear Plant with Steam Leak
Voice of America (includes link to audio report)
USA Today (includes link to video)
Turkish Press U.N. Nuclear Watchdog Monitors Situation After Japanese Accident
MSNBC (updated 8/10/04)
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keywords: Flow accelerated corrosion, Mihama, FAC, erosion-corrosion, rupture