TEPCO will expand its Fukushima office to help people

December 22, 2013

TEPCO to beef up Fukushima Headquarters

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20131222_13.html

Tokyo Electric Power Company says it will beef up its Fukushima headquarters in a bid to help residents return to their homes.

TEPCO will finish compiling its 10-year business plan on Friday.

They are planning to move the headquarters within 5 years to a new location from its current location at the national soccer team's training compound. They have been using the facility since January.

The new headquarters will be set up in a municipality in a zone currently designated as an evacuation area.

The training compound will be returned to the Japan Football Association.

TEPCO also plans to add hundreds of workers to its current labor force, to total 2,000.

The increased personnel will handle operations, including the cleaning up of homes and offices for all returning residents. They are also expected to monitor radiation levels at these locations.

The utility said it is hoping the new office will help revitalize the regional economy by attracting new retail stores and gas stations, and help residents return home.

TEPCO is planning to spend the next 10 years rebuilding deteriorating hydroelectric power plants in the prefecture. The utility will also build the newest type of thermal power generation plants there.