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The restart of the world’s largest nuclear power plant was suspended in Japan on Thursday, just hours after the process began, according to its operator.
A spokesperson for Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that an alarm sounded during reactor startup procedures, prompting the suspension of operations.
The reactor remained in a stable condition, the company said.
TEPCO said the alarm occurred during work to remove control rods that suppress nuclear fission reactions in the fuel at Unit 6 of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata Prefecture.
The company said it believes the issue may be linked to a malfunction in the electronic components of the control rods and is investigating the cause and potential impact.
TEPCO said there was no external radiation effect and that the plant remains stable.
An official from the Nuclear Regulation Authority said the reactor was operating within the “operational limits” defined by safety regulations and that no deviations had occurred.
TEPCO classifies malfunctions during reactor startup on a four-level scale.
The company said the incident was rated at the third-highest level, noting that it involved equipment that did not directly affect reactor operations and did not require a shutdown of the reactor or generator.
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