Tepco Says Rat Caused Power Outage at Crippled Fukushima Plant
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Tokyo Electric Power Co. said a blackout at its crippled Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant last week was caused by a rat.
Tepco, as the company is known, concluded the 15-centimeter rat short-circuited a switchboard at the plant in Fukushima prefecture after finding the dead animal near the equipment last week, spokesman Yusuke Kunikage said by phone today. The rodent had a scar that looked to have been caused by an electric shock. The company is considering measures to prevent a recurrence of the accident, he said.