Real questions about the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa restart

I wrote recently about my concerns over the push to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata, and some news from yesterday hasn't exactly put my mind at ease.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) confirmed that a problem was found during pre-startup tests at Unit 6, which is the reactor they're aiming to restart later this month. During a test yesterday an alarm that should sound if more than one control rod is removed failed to go off. These control rods apparently play a big role in starting and stopping a reactor, so obviously you'd want to know what's going on with them!

Image created via Canva

All control rods have since been reinserted, and TEPCO has stated there was no external impact, but an investigation is now underway to find out why the alarm malfunctioned and whether it could affect the planned restart.

From the perspective of someone living in Niigata, this kind of update is hard to ignore. The reopening is already under some pretty intense scrutiny out here, and trust around nuclear safety is already fragile. Even though this issue was caught during testing and not during active operation, it still feels unsettling and doesn't do a lot to alleviate my nuclear power concerns.