February 27, 2015

Monthly Press Conference

Today, President Kenji Kudo held a monthly press conference in Aomori City and talked about the "Status of response to the New Regulatory Requirements", "Outcome of the Company-Wide Emergency Drill" and "Status of the Mock-Up Test at the New Glass Melter".

"Status of response to the New Regulatory Requirements"

  • JNFL is currently conducting review once again on matters including the selection of facilities to be protected under the design-basis standards for reprocessing facilities, and the conditions at which severe accident is anticipated. Preparation is underway to present the review’s conclusion and the process of reaching the conclusion in the review meeting.
  • At the seismic safety review meeting convened this month, JNFL has presented the results of the drilling survey on the southern end of the Deto West Fault, as well as analysis findings of the seismic reflection survey and made explanation about relevant facilities’ underground structures. JNFL believes participants reached general understanding, but JNFL will continue to respond to questions and queries raised at the meeting.
  • As for the coming meetings, JNFL will make thorough preparation for the hearings and fully sort out items on the agenda before responding to the review meetings.

"Company-Wide Emergency Drill"

  • On the 23rd of this month, JNFL conducted an emergency drill at its four facilities, namely the Reprocessing Plant, Vitrified Waste Storage Center, Uranium Enrichment Plant and Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Center. The drill was conducted on the scenario that multiple events including the loss of off-site power have occurred simultaneously.
  • Since FY2012, JNFL has conducted this annual drill in mid-winter. This year, around 530 of the employees from JNFL and its contractors participated. On the day of the drill, all of the facility divisions smoothly implemented activities for bringing the events under control and restoring the facilities, confirming that the entire company is capable of acting on such events smoothly and promptly.
  • JNFL will continue to repeat similar drills on various scenarios to ensure action in emergency.

"Status of the Mock-Up Test at the New Glass Melter"

  • JNFL is currently developing a new type of glass melter to improve glass vitrification technology even better.
  • The tests in the first half of Stage 2 carried out since November last year on the operation conditions based on the characteristics of the New Glass Melter, have confirmed that it can handle continuous operation, provides significant improvement in downward-flowing property and does not accumulate platinum-group metals at the base.
  • The tests in the second half of Stage 2, currently being prepared, will be carried out in a greater variety of conditions to assess the possibility of introducing the New Glass Melter to the existing facility.