Monday, April 18, 2011

Japan: TOPCO’s outline for bring nuclear reactors under control

TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY

TOPCO has provided an outline of the actions and procedures it hopes to use to put the Fukushima reactors back to safety.

Press Release (Apr 17,2011)
Roadmap towards Restoration from the Accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

With regard to the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station due to the Tohoku-Chihou-Taiheiyo-Oki Earthquake occurred on Friday, March 11th, 2011, we are currently making our utmost effort to bring the situation under control. This announcement is to notify the roadmap that we have put together towards restoration from the accident.

1. Basic Policy By bringing the reactors and spent fuel pools to a stable cooling condition and mitigating the release of radioactive materials, we will make every effort to enable evacuees to return to their homes and for all citizens to be able to secure a sound life.

2. Targets Based on the basic policy, the following two steps are set as targets: "Radiation dose is in steady decline" as "Step 1" and "Release of radioactive materials is under control and radiation dose is being significantly held down" as "Step 2." Target achievement dates are tentatively set as follows: "Step 1" is set at around 3 months and "Step 2" is set at around 3 to 6 months after achieving Step 1.

3. Immediate Actions Immediate actions were divided into three groups, namely, "I. Cooling", "II. Mitigation", "III. Monitoring and Decontamination." For the following five issues—"Cooling the Reactors," "Cooling the Spent Fuel Pools," "Containment, Storage, Processing, and Reuse of Water Contaminated by Radioactive Materials (Accumulated Water)," "Mitigation of Release of Radioactive Materials to Atmosphere and from Soil," and "Measurement, Reduction and Announcement of Radiation Dose in Evacuation Order/Planned Evacuation/ Emergency Evacuation Preparation Areas"—targets are set for each of the five issues and various countermeasures will be implemented simultaneously. Please see the attachment for detailed actions.

We would like to deeply apologize again for the grave inconvenience and anxiety that the broad public has been suffering due to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. We will continue to make every endeavor to bring the situation under control.

A more detailed is available at:  http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/betu11_e/images/110417e12.pdf

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