nuclear-news

.TEPCO’s history of fraud

TEPCO’s ‘malpractices’ included:
• falsification of inspection records over many years;
• covering up data about cracks in water circulation pumps and pipes which are critical for reactor cooling;
• failure to report cracks in reactor core shrouds (stainless steel cylinders surrounding the reactor core), steam dryers, access hole covers, and components associated with jet pumps (which circulate cooling water inside the reactor);
• in 1991 and 1992, tests of the leak rate of a Fukushima reactor containment vessel were faked by surreptitiously injecting compressed air into the containment building;
• written records of cracks in neutron-measuring equipment at Fukushima were deleted by contractor Hitachi at TEPCO’s request; and
• eight TEPCO reactors were still operating although required repairs
had not been carried out.”

Fukushma the Japanese Chernobyl’…a year later and politics still ‘trump’ safety…UK Progressive,  JEANINE MOLLOF | APRIL 29, 2012 “……….TEPCO’s history of fraud…on top of a flawed Mark 1 design… The operator responsible for Fukushima Daiichi, namely TEPCO has a history of fraud allegations.  In 2002, five TEPCO executives resigned over allegations they falsified nuclear plant safety records.  Five reactors were shut down as a result.

In 2006 the Japanese government discovered false water coolant temperature readings at Fukushima Daiichi in 1985 and 1988 and ordered TEPCO to re-inspect past data.
The re-check of the suspicious data occurred after the government
caught TEPCO using the earlier bogus data to satisfy mandatory
inspections completed October of 2005.  In short, TEPCO appears to be
guilty of malpractice.

TEPCO’s ‘malpractices’ included:

• falsification of inspection records over many years;
• covering up data about cracks in water circulation pumps and pipes
which are critical for reactor cooling;
• failure to report cracks in reactor core shrouds (stainless steel
cylinders surrounding the reactor core), steam dryers, access hole
covers, and components associated with jet pumps (which circulate
cooling water inside the reactor);
• in 1991 and 1992, tests of the leak rate of a Fukushima reactor
containment vessel were faked by surreptitiously injecting compressed
air into the containment building;
• written records of cracks in neutron-measuring equipment at
Fukushima were deleted by contractor Hitachi at TEPCO’s request; and
• eight TEPCO reactors were still operating although required repairs
had not been carried out.”
Japan Times—TEPCO covers up situation again…
Mitsuhiko Tanaka, the same engineer who designed the flawed pressure
vessel for Fukushima-Daiichi Reactor #4, is now a whistle-blowing
science journalist exposing TEPCO’s ongoing pattern of propaganda,
obstruction and outright lies.  Tanaka accuses TEPCO of ‘blacking out
documents,’ and rigging the computer simulation used to justify
restarting additional reactors.

TEPCO defends denying full access to scientific records on the grounds
that such information constitutes ‘proprietary trade secrets.’
http://www.ukprogressive.co.uk/fukushima%E2%80%A6-the-%E2%80%98japanese-chernobyl%E2%80%99%E2%80%A6a-year-later-and-politics-still-%E2%80%98trump%E2%80%99-safety%E2%80%A6/article18462.html

April 30, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, Reference, secrets,lies and civil liberties