Nuclear plant ‘megaquake’ risk examined

A JAPANESE nuclear plant operator said it may have presented data underestimating earthquake risks to regulators, as Japan moves to revive nuclear power nearly 15 years after the Fukushima disaster.

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Chubu Electric Power's Hamaoka plant - located in an area of central Japan at risk of a potential "megaquake" - is undergoing regulatory safety checks, with the aim of restarting two reactors.

But the company's president said earlier this week that the estimated maximum seismic ground motion that the plant could experience during a quake "may have been underestimated".

"This incident could seriously affect the (safety) review process and undermine the trust of local communities and other stakeholders in our nuclear business, and potentially shake its very foundation," he told reporters during an emergency press conference.