TEPCO promises transparency...again

March 6, 2015

TEPCO to change disclosure rules

Mar. 6, 2015 - Updated 10:30 UTC+1

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20150306_30.html

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant says it will swiftly release any radioactivity data that could affect the external environment.

Tokyo Electric Power Company announced Friday it will set up a third-party panel to examine information disclosure.

The move comes after the utility faced a barrage of criticism from the fishing industry and local residents over a radioactive leak that was undisclosed for months.

TEPCO failed to announce until recently that contaminated rooftop water at the No.2 reactor building had been spilling into the sea via a drainage channel. Employees knew about the problem since last April.

TEPCO says it will now promptly release all data that could pose a risk to the plant's surrounds. Examples include the radioactivity densities in groundwater and airborne dust in the plant, regardless of their levels.

Current information disclosure is limited to underground tunnels and channels linked to the sea, and other areas of the plant site that have previously posted high radiation levels.

The utility says the third-party panel will establish why the rooftop water leak was not publicized earlier, in addition to reviewing disclosure rules.

A report into the latest leakage will be released this month. TEPCO says it will also create a new organization to make regular checks on the adequacy of information disclosure.