Chugoku Electric Power Co. announced March 30 that it failed to conduct routine checks on 123 components of its Shimane nuclear power plant in Matsue — 74 in the No. 1 reactor and 49 in the No. 2 reactor. Some components, such as valves in piping and an emergency diesel power generator, had not been checked since 1988. The omission of these checks is serious negligence on the part of the firm. It is thought more similar cases may emerge.
The government classifies nuclear power plant components into four categories, depending on their importance for ensuring safety. Of the 123 components unchecked at the Shimae plant, 57 fall in the "most important" category. It is appalling that the firm failed to check a component in the emergency core cooling system of the No. 1 reactor — a system that would pour a large amount of water into the reactor core to prevent a meltdown.
The No. 1 reactor has been shut down since March 31 (the No. 2 reactor was already idled for routine inspection.) This is the first time a reactor has been shut down due to omitted inspections.