Sakashita Dam

Overview

Sakashita Dam is a gravity concrete dam located in the upper reaches of the Ōkawaragawa River, which flows through Ōkuma-machi, Futaba-gun, Fukushima Prefecture. In the early 1970s, Ōkuma-machi planned to build a new earthen embankment (reservoir) to secure agricultural water. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) joined the project, and the dam was built not for power generation, but to supply boiling water for the nuclear reactors. For nearly 40 years, it supported the supply of electricity to the greater Tokyo area. However, following the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and nuclear accident, it became a critical water source for cooling the reactors, and continues to serve as an important water source even after the reactors were brought to cold shutdown. Currently, access to the dam is restricted, but its majestic presence can be admired from a distance. Visiting Sakashita Dam offers a chance to reflect on the current state of nuclear power plants and the role dams play.