December 25, 2014

Monthly Press Conference

Today, President Kenji Kudo held a monthly press conference in Aomori City and talked about "Status of response to the New Regulatory Requirements" and "Reflection of the Past Year".

"Status of response to the New Regulatory Requirements"

  • The review meetings convened on the 8th and 15th of this month, provided explanation on the Reprocessing Facilities’ design basis and future review schedule concerning severe accident.
  • The ‘Partial Amendment Statement concerning the Severe Accident Countermeasures of the Reprocessing Facilities’, to be submitted tomorrow, features expanded description on severe accident countermeasures in three areas: ‘evaporation to dryness’, ‘criticality accident’ and ‘spent fuel damage’. Another amendment will be submitted at the end of January next year to cover the remaining areas on ‘hydrogen explosion’ and ‘solvent fire’.
  • Similar to the Reprocessing Facilities, JNFL plans to submit a partial amendment statement on design basis and another partial amendment statement on severe accident countermeasures for MOX Fuel Fabrication Facilities, tomorrow and in January next year respectively.
  • In respect to seismic resistance, the Nuclear Regulation Authority conducted on-site surveys beginning of this month in areas around the southern end of the Deto West Fault and on trenches on the facility site. The review meeting will be presented with the results of the remaining boring surveys and seismic prospecting surveys as soon as they are put together.
  • The Third-party Committee on Geological Structure Study for the Eastern Shimokita Peninsula, convened on the 9th of this month commenting that their off-shore boring surveys found the age assessment of each strata along the perimeter of the continental shelf to be appropriate.
  • Combined with past survey results, JNFL maintains its stance as a licensee that the perimeter of the continental shelf does not constitute ‘faults that could become active in the future’.

"Reflection of the Past Year"

  • As explained earlier, the Japanese Cabinet adopted the Strategic Energy Plan in April this year, clearly stating the intention of promoting the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Program, which we deal with. This is a development of extremely major significance in terms of making effective use of uranium resources, reducing the bulk of nuclear waste and conserving the environment.
  • Above all else, this year was studded with a number of major developments including response to the New Regulatory Requirements and the postponement of the completion of the Reprocessing Plant.
  • JNFL’s greatest task for now is to achieve compliance with the New Regulatory Requirements, while ensuring the safety of existing facilities.
  • JNFL is committed to making even greater efforts than before to achieve ‘safety’, including compliance with the New Regulatory Requirements.