Nuclear Power Plants and Earthquakes

• Japanese, and most other, nuclear plants are designed to withstand earthquakes, and in the event of major earth movement, to shut down safely. 
• In 1995, the closest nuclear power plants, some 110 km north of Kobe, were unaffected by the severe Kobe-Osaka earthquake, but in 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011 Japanese reactors shut down automatically due to ground acceleration exceeding their trip settings. 
• In 1999, three nuclear reactors shut down automatically during the devastating Taiwan earthquake, and were restarted two days later. 
• In March 2011 eleven operating nuclear power plants shut down automatically during the major earthquake.  Three of these subsequently caused an INES Level 7 Accident due to loss of power leading to loss of cooling and subsequent radioactive releases.