Japanese nuclear industry highlights 2020.04
- Fukushima NPP decontaminated water liberation. An audience held (Apr.6th) at Fukushima City with local leaders (首長), concerning the liberation of 1.2 million tons of decontaminated water from the Fukushima NPP, which contains radioactive Tritium. The options for liberating this water are the ocean and the atmosphere (no other method is feasible or exists), even using advanced methods like 多核種除去設備（ALPS）. The participant leaders (including Prefectural Fishing organization Head [県漁業協同組合連合会の野崎哲会長], Prefectural Forest and Resources Department Head [県森林組合連合会の秋元公夫会長] and the Head of the Hotel and Ryokan Organization [県旅館ホテル生活衛生同業組合の小井戸英典理事長]) strongly opposed to the liberation of radioactive substances to the atmosphere, claiming that there are no concrete plans to compensate for the bad reputation and other possible damages to their industries that could come from this further release of radioactive substances. The governor of the Prefecture declared that the central government and TEPCO must assume the responsibility for both planning countermeasures for the bad reputation and for spreading correct and reliable information. The preparations for the release would take about 2 years, and the limited capacity for containing the contaminated water will be reached by 2022. Therefore, the limit for taking this decision is this summer.
- [Makeup] of Radiation Levels at Genkai NPP. On April 9th, Kyuden (the Kyushu Electric Company) held a conference to inform the central, prefectural, and local governments that for 38 years (since 1981) the reported numbers concerning the release of tritium to the atmosphere were not correct. The real amount is 1.9 times greater than the reported one. The error was found when the radioactivity released by a burning furnace (of radioactive materials like gloves and suites) was measured. Last December there was a similar problem at Tomari NPP (泊原発), and the authorities of Kyuden confirmed that there was no such problem in their NPP.
The head of the nuclear division (豊嶋直幸・原子力発電本部長) apologized and said that this increased amount had no adverse effects, neither on humans nor on the environment.
- Genkai NPP Antiterrorist Works Stopped. The antiterrorist civil works that are being done on the Genkai NPP were stopped after one worker was confirmed to be infected with COVID19. When the work will be restarted is not clear.
- Retirement of TEPCO holdings (東電HD) Kawamura (川村氏). With troubles to find someone who would take that place.
- Disassembly of the top half of the Fukushima Daiichi R1-2 chimney. The local company 「エイブル」accomplished the disassembly of the first 61 meters (of a total of 120 m) of the chimney after months of work. The job had to be made with special machinery to let the workers keep a safe distance. It is the first element with heavy radiation that is disassembled (April 29th, 2020).