TEPCO had been warned

September 25, 2015

TEPCO was advised on tsunami risk before quake

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

Sep. 25, 2015 - Updated 01:48 UTC+2

The Japanese government has revealed that an official had advised Tokyo Electric Power Company to implement better tsunami measures 2 years before the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.

Authorities on Thursday released depositions by 5 people who testified before a government investigative panel on the nuclear crisis. They include a former inspector of the now-defunct Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.

Initially, in September 2009, the utility told the agency official a tsunami from a possible earthquake could reach as high as 8 meters.

An expert from TEPCO used a massive quake from the 9th century as the basis for the estimate.

The agency official then suggested TEPCO to take concrete measures to prepare for a tsunami as he knew the pumps to cool the reactors would be submerged under those circumstances.

The inspector reportedly advised the utility to move the equipment inside buildings, like the Fukushima Daini plant, TEPCO's other nuclear power station in Fukushima Prefecture.

The documentation says a TEPCO official responded the utility could not decide by itself and needed to consult the Japan Society of Civil Engineers.

Another TEPCO official cast doubt on the plan by wondering if it's really possible to halt the reactors for that purpose.
The inspector further testified he didn't push the plan to the point of earmarking a budget for it.

After reviewing the statements, the government panel decided the agency did not urge TEPCO to take concrete action. It concluded the utility believed the government agency approved of its decision to wait until experts provided advice.