July 29, 2011

Monthly Press Conference

Today, President Kawai made monthly press conference in Aomori City and talked about "activities to improve the safety of the reprocessing plant" and "JNFL's ideas about denuclearization".

"Activities to improve the safety of the reprocessing plant"

Capitalizing the lessons we have learned from the past, JNFL has deployed chemical fire engines and established 24-7 fire brigades, for example, following the "accident at the asphalt solidification facility of the Tokai Reprocessing Plant" that occurred in 1997.
When the "Chuetsu-oki Earthquake" occurred in 2007, moreover, JNFL procured power supply trucks, reinforced on-site roads, and deployed special fire engines that are operable even when the roads are heavily damaged. Approximately 60 improvements have been made.
As part of these activities, a new "emergency headquarters" is now completed.
The "emergency headquarters" is an important base where responsible personnel will meet in emergencies, gather field information and transmit it to relevant organizations, and indicate recovery actions.
During the Chuetsu-oki Earthquake, the main office building of TEPCO's Kashiwazaki Kariwa Nuclear Power Station at which the emergency headquarters was located got damaged and became dysfunctional. Based on this experience, the construction of the new emergency headquarters, which is designed to withstand an earthquake with a seismic intensity of seven, was started in August two years ago. The building was completed yesterday. Communications equipment and network servers will be installed and put into operation toward the end of November.
JNFL has verified each one of the "Emergency Safety Measures" I briefed you the other day. The nighttime training assuming a blackout, which I told you about last month, was also performed on the 26th this week.
Approximately 120 people participated in the training. Indoor and outdoor lights were turned off. Floodlights, headlights, and communications equipment, such as transceivers, were used to perform the training that simulated electricity supply from power supply trucks, compressed air supply from air-compressors, and flooding the spent fuel storage pools.
Assuming that the service routes of power supply trucks and fire engines were blocked with obstacles, such as debris, we also performed training simulating removal work with wheel loaders.
Although it took a little longer than the previous daytime training because the nighttime training was performed carefully, we were able to verify that we could respond to nighttime emergencies within the target time.
JNFL also considered some cases in which various water sources, including firefighting reservoirs and tanks, could not be used due to an earthquake.
JNFL investigated over a dozen of water sources around the site other than the Futamata River from which water is usually taken in and confirmed that three alternative water sources, including Obuchinuma, could be used.
JNFL will strive to improve safety by re-verifying these safety measures from all aspects and performing training over and over again.

"JNFL's ideas about denuclearization"

As represented by Prime Minister Kan's "view to society that will not depend on nuclear energy in the future," people began to talk about denuclearization. I would like to express JNFL's understanding. The bottom line is that given the current harsh conditions of Japan with very little energy resources, it is not possible to maintain or improve people's living, industrial activities, and national strength without nuclear power generation.
In this context, the cycle business, including reprocessing for which JNFL is responsible, is essential to supporting the backbone of nuclear power generation.
JNFL thinks that nuclear power generation and the nuclear fuel cycle must be promoted decidedly for Japan to remain as a leading technology-oriented nation for ten, twenty, or more years into the future.
It is certain that the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station is extremely significant and many people of Fukushima Prefecture are still forced to live in evacuation centers. We, as a company engaging in the same nuclear business, feel heartbreaking grief and are very sorry for this situation.
JNFL also thoroughly recognize that we have lost citizen's trust to a considerable extent due to this serious accident.
On the other hand, however, it is also a heavy reality that Japan has very little energy resources and the energy situation surrounding Japan is getting more and more severe. It is a very important question how Japan should secure energy in a stable manner, which has a decisive influence on the direction of the country.
Therefore, JNFL thinks that we should have clam discussions facing the reality. In particular, when we think about nuclear energy as technological energy, we realize that we have been allowed to engage in enrichment and reprocessing because of the technologies and personnel we have developed for many years, the relationships with the residents of the siting areas who have supported us, and the fact that Japan without nuclear weapons has committed herself to peaceful use.
It is a valuable right that we have obtained as a result of a great number of international negotiations. I think that we should contemplate over and over again whether we should really give it up. We can give it up instantaneously. However, we can never regain the technologies, personnel, the trust of local residents, and international relationships.
As for the "New Energy" that is gathering a lot of expectations, I myself basically think that it should be used in many ways. Since it is dependent on weather, however, it is very difficult to secure it in stable amounts at reasonable costs. Should the fixed-price buy-out system be introduced, there is concern that extra burdens might be imposed on households and industries.
If you turn your eyes to the world, the U.S., U.K., France, Russia, Korea, and other countries have positioned nuclear power generation as an important energy source, while further improving the safety of nuclear power generation following the Fukushima accident.
China and India announced the continuation of nuclear power development. Vietnam, Turkey, and Lithuania are expecting new introduction from Japan.
Similar to the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland announced their denuclearization policies.
However, JNFL thinks that we must not forget that their energy situations are greatly different from that of Japan, for example, in that they can exchange electricity with other European counties.
As for the "Cycle Business" JNFL is promoting, Aomori Prefecture and local residents have shown us significant understanding and cooperation since we asked for siting in 1984 under the energy policy of Japan.
The enrichment and waste disposal businesses have been in operation since 1992.
For the reprocessing business, major facilities have been completed after twenty-plus years and we are only one step away from final completion.
Uranium and plutonium to be recovered from reprocessing may be reused as nuclear fuel, which will become valuable energy sources of Japan lacking energy resources.
Reprocessing will allow for safe and stable management of high-level waste as vitrified solids. It has the advantage of reducing the hazardousness of radioactivity, the volume of waste, and the area of the final disposal site.
Based on these, I think that Japan should continue to promote nuclear power generation and the nuclear fuel cycle as one. However, the major premise to that is ensuring safety above all.
We feel deeply responsible for the Fukushima accident and are determined absolutely not to give local residents any troubles and abuse their trust in pursuing JNFL's future business management. Your continued understanding and support will be much appreciated.