The quake-damaged nuclear power plant in Japan's northern province of Niigata was not expected to resume operation any time soon, according to the international nuclear watchdog Friday, DPA reported. An expert team of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) met with Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency and reported on the research results after a four-day inspection of Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant, which saw more than 50 accidents after the quake. It will take several months or even a year for Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) to put the power station back on, director of the IAEA's nuclear installation safety division Philippe Jamet said Friday. It's "not something you can do very fast. It was a very big earthquake," Jamet was quoted as saying by Kyodo News Agency. The IAEA team was to confirm the inspection results with the Japanese government and exchange views before the members leave Japan Saturday. Seven reactors at the world's largest nuclear power plant by output capacity have been suspended operation since July 16, when a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Niigata region, killing 11 and injuring more than 2,000. TEPCO reported low-level radioactive material leaks and 800 litres of oil for water-pump turbines leak at the plant, while lids of some of 100 storage drums that toppled over during the quake were found open inside the waste-handling facility.
