TEPCO admits security awareness (at F. Daini) has been decreasing

September 13, 2016

NRA: TEPCO kept alarm silent at Fukushima Daini

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20160912_26/

Japan's nuclear regulator has issued a warning to Tokyo Electric Power Company after a legal violation was found at its Fukushima Daini nuclear plant. The utility had deactivated the alarm of an entry sensor.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority says the violation was found during an inspection at the plant last October. The warning sound on a detector preventing intrusions from outside was disabled.

TEPCO officials told the authority that the alarm was turned off after the detector was repeatedly activated by moving objects other than people. The officials said the workers in charge of security at the plant had made the decision.

The officials told the authority that they found the alarm had been switched off on a daily basis. They admitted that security awareness had been decreasing.

The authority on Monday warned TEPCO that alternative measures to ensure security were not sufficient. They said disabling the alarm was a legal violation that could become a serious problem.

The authority also instructed the utility to prevent a recurrence.

TEPCO officials say the company will take thorough measures including training its employees and improving problem solving methods.