Nuclear Energy Institute Report on Japan’s Nuclear Reactors, November 14, 2011

INPO Releases Detailed Event Timeline of Fukushima Daiichi Accident

Industry/Regulatory/Political

• The Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) last Friday publicly released a detailed timeline of events at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The report, prepared as part of the industry’s integrated response to the Japan events, was delivered to U.S. industry executives, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, members of Congress, stakeholders and the news media. Tony Pietrangelo, NEI’s senior vice president and chief nuclear officer, said, “We are sharing this report with the widest possible audience because it is important that we all work from the same set of facts in determining the appropriate response.”
• A final draft report of the Japan Atomic Energy Commission’s advisory committee has proposed several medium- and long-term measures for the complete decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear energy facility. The report asks TEPCO to prepare a plan that includes consulting with regulators before implementation. The proposal also would establish a facility near the site to monitor and assess the decommissioning process, which the report said could take decades.

Plant Status

• On the eight-month anniversary of the March earthquake and tsunami that caused the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear facility, Tokyo Electric Power Co. opened the site to journalists for the first time. Goshi Hosono, Japan’s minister for nuclear crisis management, accompanied three dozen reporters and camera operators on the three-hour bus tour. Among areas visited were the damaged reactor buildings, the water purification facility and storage tanks, and an area used to store radioactive waste and rubble. They also toured the off-site lodging facility for recovery workers.

Media Highlights

• The New York Times and its Green blog looked at the INPO report that details the timeline of events at Fukushima Daiichi following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The blog account includes remarks from Tony Pietrangelo, NEI’s senior vice president and chief nuclear officer.
• The Associated Press describes what reporters saw on the media tour of the Fukushima Daiichi facility conducted by Tokyo Electric Power Co. over the weekend.
• Savannahnow.com reports on Southern Co.’s communications preparations immediately after the Fukushima nuclear accident.

Upcoming Events

• INPO and the World Association of Nuclear Operators are hosting a meeting of international utilities in Atlanta Nov. 14-16 to share methods and approaches on how different countries are addressing safety issues raised by the Fukushima accident.