TEPCO expresses commitment to recovery work

February 8, 2016

TEPCO president pledges more disaster recovery work in Fukushima: interview

http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160208/p2a/00m/0na/015000c

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) President Naomi Hirose expressed his renewed determination to commit to disaster recovery work in areas affected by the Fukushima nuclear crisis during a recent interview with the Mainichi Shimbun ahead of the fifth anniversary of the triple disaster.

"We'd like to work more than ever toward fulfilling our responsibility (over the nuclear disaster)," said Hirose as this March marks the fifth anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear meltdown. "It has been five years (since the disaster), but nearly 100,000 people still remain evacuated. Not only shall we work on compensation measures, but we'll make sure everything is in order at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant, as any trouble (involving decommission work and the issue of treating contaminated water) would affect evacuation schedules and future plans (for the locals)."

Furthermore, Hirose suggested the utility's plan to build renewable energy stations in the affected areas to create jobs for local residents.

Meanwhile, Niigata Gov. Hirohiko Izumida maintains a tough stance on the restart of TEPCO's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant in Niigata Prefecture, claiming that examination and overall evaluation of the Fukushima disaster are required before putting the matter on the table.

Hirose told the Mainichi that the company will discuss details about what needs to be done with the Niigata governor and seek understanding from local residents over the restart of the idled nuclear plant.

In regard to the deregulation of the electricity market set for April, Hirose emphasized that it should not be a simple price war as different electricity providers such as gas companies and oil wholesalers are entering the market and introducing new rates cheaper than TEPCO. He explained that the utility would compete with other power providers by introducing services that encourage energy conservation, which will lead to reduced power consumption and help cut expenses spent on electricity.