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Nuclear Regulation Authority Launches On-Site Inspection of Chubu Electric Over Hamaoka Seismic Data Manipulation

The probe seeks to determine how biased seismic benchmarks affected safety assessments at a plant located near the Nankai Trough.

Overview

  • Five staff from the NRA secretariat entered Chubu Electric’s Nagoya headquarters on Jan. 26 to review records and question employees.
  • Inspectors ordered lists of relevant departments and personnel and warned that obstruction or false statements carry penalties.
  • The inquiry may extend to external contractors that performed seismic motion calculations and is expected to take months to a year.
  • The safety review for Hamaoka Units 3 and 4 remains suspended since December pending assessment of safety impact and organizational involvement.
  • Chubu Electric’s nuclear chief Tetsuya Toyoda apologized and pledged a company‑wide response as experts note the site’s high seismic risk near the Nankai Trough.