information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
22 Décembre 2014
December 22, 2014
Dec. 22, 2014 - Updated 08:02 UTC+1
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20141222_24.html
Japan's nuclear regulatory body says it cannot deny the possibility that a seismic fault under the Higashidori nuclear plant in northern Japan could become active in the future.
In a draft assessment compiled on Monday, a Nuclear Regulation Authority panel partly refuted the claims of the plant's operator, Tohoku Electric Power Company, that the faults under the facility are not active.
The panel of experts said in a draft last year that the so-called F-3 and F-9 faults running west of a reactor building were at a high risk of shifting in the future.
Tohoku Electric then carried out additional studies and submitted data that disputed this assessment.
While refuting the claims of the plant's operator, the panel members were divided over the possible movement of one of the 2 faults directly under key facilities, including the reactor building. They could not reach a conclusion.
Tohoku Electric has filed for a screening under new government regulations with an eye toward restarting the plant.
But should the authority finalize its assessment that the faults may be active, it will be forced to take additional earthquake-resistance measures.
Kyodo
A panel advising the Nuclear Regulation Authority said Monday it can’t rule out the possibility that key geological faults running under the Higashidori nuclear power plant in Aomori Prefecture are active.
This won’t immediately force Tohoku Electric Power Co. to scrap the sole reactor at the plant as the faults don’t run directly beneath the unit, but it will probably have to remain offline much longer than was expected so further safety measures can be taken.
In compiling a new report on the assessment of geological faults at the plant, the panelists agreed that explanations and data submitted by Tohoku Electric are not sufficient to prove that two major faults, called F-9 and F-3, are not active.
The panel already acknowledged in May 2013 that the faults are likely to be active, but it has continued discussions after the utility conducted an additional probe in an effort to have the view overturned.
“The draft report does not show sufficient evidence to deny our claim,” Tohoku Electric Executive Vice President Nobuaki Abe told a news conference Monday. “We would like the NRA to create an opportunity for (more) debate.”
In quake-prone Japan, building reactors or other important safety facilities directly above active faults is prohibited.
The experts were divided over the activity of the f-1 fault, which runs directly beneath an important safety facility at the plant, and left open both possibilities. But they concluded that the f-2 fault, which lies right under the reactor building, is not active.
Despite the problem of geological faults, Tohoku Electric has already applied for a safety screening by the NRA, a necessary process for a reactor to be reactivated.
The regulator is expected to start full-fledged safety screening once the report is finalized.
In a related move, it has become highly likely that a reactor at Japan Atomic Power Co.’s Tsuruga nuclear plant in Fukui Prefecture will be shut down permanently after experts acknowledged that it is sitting right above an active fault.
Currently, all of Japan’s 48 commercial reactors remain offline amid heightened safety concerns following the Fukushima crisis. The administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is aiming to restart reactors that have cleared the NRA safety review based on new regulations introduced following the crisis.
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20141222p2g00m0dm045000c.html
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A panel advising Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority said Monday it cannot deny the possibility that key geological faults running under the premises of Tohoku Electric Power Co.'s nuclear power plant are active.
The move would not immediately force the utility to scrap the sole reactor at the Higashidori plant, located on the Pacific coast in northeastern Japan, as the faults do not run directly beneath the reactor, but suggests it may remain offline for quite a while until further safety measures are taken.
In compiling a new draft report on the assessment of geological faults at the plant, the panelists agreed that explanations and data submitted by Tohoku Electric are not sufficient to prove that two major faults under the plant, called F-9 and F-3, are not active.
The panel already acknowledged in May last year that the faults are likely to be active, but it has continued discussions after Tohoku Electric conducted an additional probe in an effort to have the view overturned.
Tohoku Electric Executive Vice President Nobuaki Abe told a press conference after the panel meeting, "The draft report does not show sufficient evidence to deny our claim. We would like the NRA to create an opportunity for (more) debate."
In quake-prone Japan, building reactors or other important safety facilities directly above active faults is prohibited.
Regarding a fault called F-1, which runs right beneath some important safety facilities at the plant, the experts were divided over its activity and left open both possibilities.
Despite the problem of geological faults, Tohoku Electric has already applied for a NRA safety screening of the Higashidori plant, a process necessary for any reactor before being allowed to go back online. The regulator is expected to start full-fledged safety screening once the draft report is finalized.
In a related move, it has become highly likely that a reactor at Japan Atomic Power Co.'s Tsuruga nuclear plant will be shut down permanently after experts acknowledged that the reactor is sitting right above an active fault.
December 22, 2014(Mainichi Japan)
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