TOKYO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Japan's Chubu Electric Power (9502.T) , opens new tab said on Monday it might have used a different method than explained to regulators to select representative seismic waves during the review of two reactors at its Hamaoka nuclear power station in central Japan.

The discrepancy could "significantly impact" the regulatory review of the central Japan plant, the utility said in a statement.

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"We view this as an extremely serious matter that could undermine trust in our nuclear power business by our stakeholders, including the local community, and potentially shake the very foundations of these operations," the company said. It added that a third-party committee will be established to investigate.

Chubu Electric is currently undergoing a review by the Nuclear Regulation Authority to restart Hamaoka's No. 3 and No. 4 reactors.

The discrepancy in the seismic evaluation came just as Tokyo Electric Power's (9501.T) , opens new tab Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant and Hokkaido Electric Power's (9509.T) , opens new tab Tomari nuclear plant had secured approval from local communities and were moving toward restarts.

This could dampen momentum to rebuild trust in Japan's nuclear power sector after it was dented by the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi disaster.

The industry ministry said it had requested that Chubu Electric thoroughly investigate the facts and circumstances of the seismic evaluation incident and report its findings.

It also demanded that the company identify and analyse the root causes, compile effective measures to prevent recurrence, and report on the existence of other similar incidents.

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/japans-chubu-electric-flags-discrepancy-seismic-evaluation-hamaoka-nuclear-plant-2026-01-05/