Nuclear power plants shut down in Europe due to intense heat; Japan may use seawater to avoid impact

In Europe, where record-breaking heatwaves continue, the effects of the shutdown of nuclear power plants are beginning to be felt. This is said to be due to a drop in the water level of the river that takes water to cool the equipment. As the severe heat continues in Japan, will there be any impact on domestic nuclear power plants?

On the 2nd, Hungarian Prime Minister Magyar announced that the country's only nuclear power plant, Paks, would be shut down. The lack of rain combined with a record-breaking heat wave has caused water levels in the nearby Danube River to drop, making it difficult to secure cooling water for the equipment.

In Europe, there are many nuclear power plants that use river water. In Romania and elsewhere, declining river water levels have made it impossible to secure cooling water, leading to a series of situations in which some nuclear power plants have been shut down or their output has been curtailed.

There are two types of cooling water used at nuclear power plants: water that directly cools the nuclear fuel, and water that cools steam and equipment without touching the nuclear fuel.

In Japan, seawater facing nuclear power plants is taken and used as cooling water for the latter. However, in the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident, water in the reactor evaporated and seawater poured into it.

Because they use seawater instead of rivers, Japanese power companies explain that they are not affected by extreme heat like in Europe.

Tohoku Electric Power Co., whose Onagawa nuclear power plant No. 2 (Miyagi Prefecture) is in operation, explains, ``Because it takes cooling water from the sea, it is less susceptible to the effects of extreme heat like in Europe.'' Chugoku Electric Power Co., which has restarted the Shimane Nuclear Power Plant's No. 2 reactor, said, ``We do not believe that there will be any impact on operations as we continue to be unable to secure cooling water.''