Which nuclear power plant had meltdowns after the 2011 tsunami in Japan?

The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant had meltdowns after the 2011 tsunami in Japan.

On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake struck northeastern Japan, followed by a tsunami that overtopped the Fukushima Daiichi station’s defenses. The waves disabled emergency diesel generators and other electrical equipment, producing a prolonged loss of power and cooling capability.

Although reactors 1, 2, and 3 automatically shut down after the earthquake, their fuel continued producing decay heat. Without adequate cooling, fuel damage progressed into partial core meltdowns. Hydrogen generated during the overheating process accumulated in reactor buildings and contributed to explosions at units 1 and 3, with a serious explosion also occurring at unit 4’s building for different reasons.

Fukushima Daiichi is often confused with Fukushima Daini, another nuclear station in the same prefecture. Daini also lost some systems but did not experience the same reactor meltdowns. Onagawa, Hamaoka, and Kashiwazaki-Kariwa were not the plant associated with the 2011 meltdown disaster.