search



Corporate Information

 
Press Release (Mar 18,2011)
Status of TEPCO's Facilities and its services after Tohoku-Taiheiyou-Oki Earthquake (as of 6:00PM)
Due to the Tohoku-Taiheiyou-Oki Earthquake which occurred on March 11th 
2011, TEPCO's facilities including our nuclear power stations have been 
severely damaged. We deeply apologies for the anxiety and inconvenience 
caused. 

Below is the status of TEPCO's major facilities.
*new items are underlined
[Nuclear Power Station] 
 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: 
  Units 1 to 3: shutdown due to earthquake 
  (Units 4 to 6: outage due to regular inspection) 

*The national government has instructed to evacuate for those local 
 residents within 20km radius of the site periphery and to remain 
 indoors for those local residents between 20km and 30km radius of 
 the site periphery.

*Unit 1
 The explosive sound and white smoke was confirmed near Unit 1 when 
 the big quake occurred at 3:36pm, March 12th. We have started 
 injection of sea water at 8:20 pm and then boric acid into the 
 reactor afterwards. 

*Unit 2
 At 1:25 pm, March 14th, since the Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System 
 has failed, it was determined that a specific incident stipulated in 
 article 15, clause 1 of Act on Special Measures oncerning Nuclear 
 Emergency Preparedness occurred (failure of reactor cooling function).
 At 5:17 pm, while the water level in the reactor reached the top of 
 the fuel rod, we have restarted the water injection with the valve 
 operation. 
 At approximately 6:14 am, March 15th, the abnormal sound was confirmed 
 near the suppression chamber and the pressure inside the chamber 
 decreased afterwards. It was determined that there is a possibility 
 that something happened in the suppression  chamber. While sea water 
 injection to the reactor continued, TEPCO employees and workers from 
 other companies not in charge of injection work started tentative 
 evacuation to a safe location.
 Sea water injection to the reactor is still under operation. 

*Unit 3
 At 6:50 am, March 14th, while water injection to the reactor was under  
 operation, the pressure in the reactor containment vessel increased to  
 530 kPa. As a result, at 7:44 am, it was determined that a specific  
 incident stipulated in article 15, clause 1 occurred (abnormal increase 
 of the pressure of reactor containment vessel). Afterwards, the pressure  
 has gradually decreased (as of 9:05 am, 490 kPa).  
 
 We continue injecting water into a reactor.
 * We announced in our past reports that "On March 14, the pressure in the 
   primary containment vessel increased and it was determined that a 
   specific incident stipulated in the Article 15, the Clause 1 of Act on 
   Special Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness occurred". 
   However, we made a mistake in the calculation of the pressure value and 
   the status of Unit 3 did not fall under the above-mentioned specific 
   incidents. We will delete the related description from our latest report.

 At approximately 11:01 am, March 14th, an explosion followed by white 
 smoke occurred near Unit 3. 4 TEPCO employees and 3 workers from other 
 companies (all of them are conscious) have sustained injuries and they 
 were already dispatched to the hospital by ambulances. 

 As the temperature of water in the spent fuel pool rose, spraying water 
 by helicopters with the support of the Self Defense Force was considered, 
 however the works on March 16th was cancelled.

 At 6:15 am, March 17th, the pressure of the Suppression Chamber 
 temporally increased, but currently it is stable in a certain range. 
 Monitoring will be continued.
 In order to cool spent fuel pool, water discharge by helicopters has 
 been conducted on March 17th with the cooperation of Self-Defense Force.
 At approximately past 7:00 pm, March 17th , Self-Defense Forces and the 
 police had started water discharge by water cannon trucks upon our 
 request for the cooperation. At 8:09 pm, March 17th, they had finished 
 water discharge.
 At 2:00 pm, March 18th , Self-Defense Forces had started water discharge 
 by water cannon trucks upon our request for the cooperation. 
*Unit 4
 At approximately 6:00 am, March 15th, an explosive sound occurred and 
 the damage in the 5th floor roof of Unit 4 reactor building was 
 confirmed. At 9:38 am, the fire near the north-west part of 4th floor 
 of Unit 4 reactor building was confirmed. At approximately 11:00 am, 
 TEPCO employee confirmed that the fire was off. 

 At approximately 5:45 am, a TEPCO employee discovered a fire at the 
 northwest corner of the Nuclear Reactor Building. TEPCO immediately 
 reported this incident to the fire department and the local government 
 and proceeded with the extinction of fire. At approximately 6:15 am, 
 TEPCO staff confirmed at the site that there are no signs of fire. 

*On March 18th, regarding the spent fuel in the common spent fuel pool, 
 we have confirmed that the water level of the pool is secured. A 
 detailed inspection is under preparation.
 *common spent fuel pool: a spent fuel pool for common use set in a 
  separate building in a plant site in order to preserve spent fuel 
  which are transferred from the spent fuel pool in each Unit building.

*On March 17th, we patrolled buildings for dry casks and found no signs 
 of abnormal situation for the casks by visual observation. A detailed 
 inspection is under preparation.
 *dry cask: a measure to store spent fuel in a dry storage casks in 
  storages. Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station started to utilize 
  the measure from August 1995.

*We will continuously endeavor to securing safety, and monitoring of 
 the surrounding environment. 
Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station: 
 Units 1 to 4: shutdown due to earthquake 
*The national government has instructed evacuation for those local 
 residents within 10km radius of the periphery.

*In order to achieve cold shutdown, reactor cooling function was restored 
 and cooling of reactors was conducted. As a result, all reactors 
 achieved cold shutdown: Unit 1 at 5:00 pm, March 14th, Unit 2 at 6:00 pm, 
 March 14th, Unit 3 at 0:15 pm, March 12th, Unit 4 at 7:15 am, March 16th. 

*Since March 12th, we had been preparing measures for reducing the 
 pressure of reactor containment vessels (partial discharge of air 
 containing radioactive materials to outside), but on March 17th, we 
 released such preparation in all Units.

*(Unit 1)
 As it is confirmed that the temperature of the Emergency Equipment 
 Cooling Water System*1 has increased, at 3:20 pm, March 15th, we 
 stopped the Residual Heat Removal System (B) for the inspection. 
 Subsequently, failure was detected in the power supply facility 
 associated with the pumps of the Emergency Equipment Cooling Water 
 System. At 4:25 pm, March 15th, after replacing the power facility, 
 the pumps and the Residual Heat Removal System (B) have been 
 reactivated.

*(Unit 4)
 As it is confirmed that the pressure at the outlet of the pumps of 
 the Emergency Equipment Cooling Water System*1 has been decreased, 
 at 8:05 pm, March 15th, we stopped the Residual Heat Removal System 
 (B) for the inspection. Subsequently, failure was detected in the 
 power supply facility associated with the pumps of the Emergency 
 Equipment Cooling Water System. At 9:25 pm, March 15th, after 
 replacing the relevant facility, the pumps and the Residual Heat 
 Removal System (B) have been reactivated.

*1:emergency water system in which cooling water (pure water) circulates 
  which exchanged the heat with sea water in order to cool down bearing 
  pumps and/or heat exchangers etc.
Kashiwazaki Kariwa Nuclear Power Station: 
  Units 1, 5, 6, 7: normal operation 
  (Units 2 to 4: outage due to regular inspection)
[Thermal Power Station] 
Hirono Thermal Power Station Units 2 and 4: shutdown due to earthquake
Hitachinaka Thermal Power Station Unit 1: shutdown due to earthquake
Kashima Thermal Power Station Units 2, 3, 5, 6: shutdown due to earthquake
Higashi-Ohgishima Thermal Power Station Unit 1: shutdown due to earthquake
[Hydro Power Station] 
*All the stations have been restored.
[Transmission System, etc.] 
All substation failed due to the earthquake have been restored.
[Blackout in TEPCO's Service Area]
 Total of approximately 2,600 households are out of power (as of 9:00PM, 
 March 17, 2011).
 Tokyo: 0
 Kanagawa Pref.: 0
 Tochigi Pref.: 0
 Chiba Pref.: 0
 Saitama Pref: 0
 Gunma Pref.: 0
 Ibaraki Pref: 1,128 
 Yamanashi Pref: 0
 Shizuoka Pref: 0 (east of Fuji River)
[Supply and Demand Status within TEPCO's Service Area to Secure Stable 
 Power Supply] 
Backup supply from Shinshinano Conversion Station: 600MW
Backup supply from Sakuma Conversion Station: 300MW
Backup supply from Higashi Shimizu Conversion Station: 100MW
Backup supply from Kitahon Interconnection Facility: 600MW

Considering the critical balance of our power supply capacity and 
expected power demand forward, in order to avoid unexpected blackout, 
TEPCO has implemented rolling blackout (planned blackout alternates 
from one area to another) since yesterday. We will make our utmost 
to secure the stable power supply as early as possible. 
For customers who will be subject to rolling blackout, please be 
prepared for the announced blackout periods. Also for customers who 
are not subject to blackouts, TEPCO appreciates your continuous 
cooperation in reducing electricity usage by avoiding using unnecessary 
lighting and electrical equipment.
[Others] Please do NOT touch cut-off electric wires.
In order to prevent fire, please make sure to switch off the electric 
appliances such as hair drier and to shut down the breaker of distribution 
board when you leave your house.
For the customer who has in-house power generation, please secure fuel for 
generator.

* Revised past progress 
back to page top


to TOP