Fukushima Daiichi Prompt Report
TEPCO LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION OF UNIT 2 PRIMARY CONTAINMENT VESSEL
Feb 12, 2019
Will determine if deposits at bottom of Unit 2 pedestal can be moved with grasping device, placing priority on safety and environmental protection.
FUKUSHIMA, Japan —TEPCO announced on February 12 that it will conduct an internal investigation of the unit 2 primary containment vessel (PCV) on February 13 to see if deposits observed at the bottom of the Unit 2 pedestal during an investigation last year can be moved by grasping them.
The previous investigation found that pebble and clay-like deposits cover the entire bottom of the pedestal. This was determined by lowering an observation device from the area above the missing grating to examine the bottom of the pedestal.
This time, the device, which has been modified with a hand-like grasping device, will be lowered from the same location to touch some of the deposits to determine their movability prior to removing them later. Image, dose and temperature data also will be collected during the investigation.
As before, the investigation will place a priority on safety and environmental protection. Specific measures to be taken will include using dust monitors to confirm that gasses from inside the PCV are not leaking out, establishing a boundary using the sliding part of the guide pipe with double O-rings, and pressurizing the pipe with nitrogen to prevent gas inside the PCV from leaking out. A similar boundary for the sliding part of the cable also will be established.
For more information on TEPCO’s investigation of the Unit 2 PCV, go to LINK
For video on investigation method and device, go to LINK
About TEPCO
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO) is Japan's largest power company group, holding three independent business entities: TEPCO Fuel & Power, Inc., TEPCO Power Grid, Inc., and TEPCO Energy Partner, Inc. As a group, it generates, distributes, and sells electricity and other types of energy principally to the Kanto metropolitan area, which includes Japan's two most populous cities, Tokyo and Yokohama. Its 42,060 employees are committed to providing safe, reliable power as well as fulfilling its responsibilities to the communities of Fukushima. (As of April 1, 2017)
TEPCO Website:https://www.tepco.co.jp/en/hd/index-e.html
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