Incident details

A fire broke out at the Taketoyo thermal power station in Aichi prefecture, central Japan.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, as reported by the station’s owner, JERA.

This power station, noted for its significant output capacity of 1,070 MW, ranks among the largest in Japan.

JERA, a collaboration between Tokyo Electric Power and Chubu Electric Power, is the country’s foremost utility power company.

According to a statement by JERA: “At around 1514 local time (0614 GMT), smoke was detected, followed by the discovery of a fire on the belt conveyor transporting fuel at the plant.”

Following this, operations were promptly suspended, with the reassurance that there were no injuries reported.

Located approximately 40 km south of Nagoya, central Japan’s largest city, the plant’s disruption has not led to any power outages in Chubu Electric Power’s operational area, as per their website.

Explosion and response

In a related report by shine.cn, an explosion occurred at the same power station, accompanied by fire and rising black smoke.

This event was first reported by local media at around 3 pm local time.

Local police and firefighting authorities confirmed that there were no injuries resulting from this explosion at the JERA Taketoyo Thermal Power Station.

The explosion is believed to have occurred in the boiler facility on the 13th floor, as reported by Kyodo, citing firefighting officials and the prefectural police.

Observers noted fires emanating from coal transport conveyors, with black smoke visible from three separate areas.

Firefighting efforts were promptly initiated and are ongoing.

An eyewitness, located about 300 meters from the explosion site, described to a local broadcaster: “There was a loud noise, followed by an earthquake-like shaking a few seconds later.”

 JERA’s official website states that the power plant uses coal and biomass as fuel sources and boasts a maximum output capacity of 1,070,000 kilowatts.

Ongoing investigations

Investigations are currently underway to determine the cause of the explosion.

Authorities and JERA are working closely to assess the situation and ensure the safety of the area.

The immediate focus is on containing the fire and preventing any further damage or risk to public safety.

IFSJ comment

The incident at Taketoyo thermal power station in Japan highlights the inherent risks associated with energy production facilities, especially those dealing with high-capacity outputs.

The quick response by emergency services in the wake of the fire and explosion demonstrates the importance of readiness and efficient crisis management in such scenarios.

This event serves as a reminder of the need for stringent safety measures and regular maintenance checks in industrial operations to prevent such occurrences.

As investigations continue, it will be crucial to understand the cause of the incident to prevent future occurrences and to ensure the safety and security of energy infrastructure.