nuclear-news

TEPCO apologizes to Niigata for meltdown cover-up

A top official of the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has apologized to the Niigata Prefecture governor for having concealed the 2011 reactor meltdowns for more than two months.

Takafumi Anegawa, Managing Executive Officer of the Tokyo Electric Power Company, met Niigata Governor Hirohiko Izumida on Thursday.

In February this year, TEPCO admitted the utility could have ascertained there was a meltdown three days after its occurrence if utility workers had followed an in-house manual. It was also later found that TEPCO’s then-president had instructed officials not to use the words “core meltdown.”

The prefecture, which hosts another TEPCO nuclear power plant on the Japan Sea coast, has put together a panel of experts to study the utility’s handling of the Fukushima accident.

Anegawa told the governor that TEPCO apologizes for not having presented a report based on an adequate investigation.

Izumida said information on meltdowns is critical for residents living near nuclear power plants to decide whether to flee or not. He said the prefecture expresses regret that TEPCO has not admitted its meltdown cover-up for five years.

Later this month, a joint panel set up by Niigata Prefecture and TEPCO plans to begin a detailed investigation.

Governor Izumida said additional probes are necessary to find out what in-house problems TEPCO had.

The governor said it is too soon to discuss resuming operations at the nuclear plant in his prefecture without a complete review of the Fukushima accident.

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20160825_21/

August 25, 2016 - Posted by dunrenard | Fukushima 2016 | Apology, Cover-up, Fukushima Daiichi, Niigata Governor, Tepco