The mayor ordered that a nuclear power plant hit by a strong earthquake be shut down Wednesday until its safety could be confirmed after a long list of problems -- including radiation leaks, burst pipes and fires -- came to light. The malfunctions and a delay in reporting the problems at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant fueled concerns about the safety of Japan's 55 nuclear reactors, which have suffered a string of accidents and cover-ups."They raised the alert too late. I have sent stern instructions that such alerts must be raised seriously and swiftly," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters in Tokyo. "Those involved should reflect on their actions."
Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) said Wednesday that the radioactive water leak at the facility was 50 percent bigger than previously announced, but still below danger levels.
The facility is the world's largest nuclear plant in power output capacity. Japan's nuclear plants supply about 30 percent of the country's electricity, but its dependence on nuclear power is coupled with deep misgivings over safety.
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