TEPCO's Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station Unit 1(Boiling water reactor, rated output 1.1GW) started commercial operation in April 1982 and will be in operation for 30 years at April 20, 2012.
Regarding this Unit 1, TEPCO was to conduct a technical aging evaluation^*3 and draw out a long-term maintenance administration policy^*4, according to the "Regulations regarding the installation and operation of practical generation nuclear reactors"^*1and the order documents^*2 which we received on 22 October 2008 from the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) of the Ministry of Economy, trade and industry (METI), which orders TEPCO to conduct aging management.
Under such circumstances, due to the Tohoku-Chihou-Taiheiyo-Oki Earthquake on 11 March 2011, the "Act on Special Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness" was applied to the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station, and according to this, we are conducting recovery works in order to maintain stable cold shutdown. Among the devices and structures that were extracted by a conventional evaluation that are essential from the point of view of safety, we have conducted technical evaluation focused on aging, regarding the facilities that are essential for maintaining cold shutdown. In addition, we have drawn out a long-term maintenance administration policy based on this evaluation, and we applied for the approval of alteration in nuclear reactor facilities security regulations on January 13, 2012.

 

After that, reflecting the appraisal results of site inspection, etc. by the Government, we applied to Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for the correction of the application for approval of alteration in nuclear reactor facilities security regulations^*5 on March 15, 2012. Today, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry approved it.

From now, we will reflect the approved long-term maintenance administration policy on the maintenance plan of the unit. We will take proper maintenance activities for facilities required for maintenance of cold shutdown, etc. of the plant.

End

Attachment: Outline of the technical aging evaluation and long-term maintenance administration policy of the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station Unit 1(PDF 461KB)
*The aforementioned attachments are only available in Japanese. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

*1 "Regulations regarding the installation and operation of practical generation nuclear reactors"
"Regulations regarding the installation and operation of practical generation nuclear reactors" (1978 MITI No.77) states that, by the 30th year of operation, the owner must conduct technical evaluations focused on aging, regarding the facilities that are essential for security of safety of the nuclear facilities, and draw out a ten-year plan (long-term maintenance administration policy) based on this evaluation in order to secure safety of the nuclear facilities.

*2 Order documents
"Implementation of aging management regarding practical generation nuclear reactor facilities (order)"
(17 October 2008, NISA No.3)

In applying 1, 2 and 3 listed below, we require you (TEPCO) to follow the attached "Guideline for the implementation of aging management regarding practical generation nuclear reactor facilities".
1.Implementation and review of technical evaluation and settlement and alteration of long-term maintenance administration policy regarding the aging of nuclear reactor facilities according to article 11-2 of the "Regulations regarding the installation and operation of practical generation nuclear reactors".
2.Periodical evaluation of the nuclear reactor facilities according to article 7-5 of the "Regulations regarding the installation and operation of practical generation nuclear reactors" (those that will be implemented as a part of aging management).
3.Application for approval and for approval of alteration of the security regulations according to article 16 clause 1 of the "Regulations regarding the installation and operation of practical generation nuclear reactors", application for approval of alteration of the security regulations according to article 50 clause 3-2 section 2 of the "Enforcement regulations of Electric utility industry law" (1995 MITI No.77) and the attachment of documents related to this application for approval of alteration, according to article 51 clause 3 of the "Enforcement regulations of Electric utility industry law".

*3 Technical aging evaluation
To extract incidents that should be focused from the point of view of aging, from all the aging incidents that is happening or may happen to the devices and structures that are important in view of securing safety, and to conduct evaluation of the soundness of the devices and structures, confirm whether the present administration is effective, and to extract additional measures if necessary

<Reference>
Discussions regarding aging management (before Tohoku- Chihou-Taiheiyo-Oki Earthquake)
·Regarding the aging management of nuclear facilities, In 1996 the authorities presented the "general view of aging management" and the electric power utilities were required to Implement technical evaluation and settle long-term maintenance administration policies on a voluntary basis, and the authorities were to evaluate the validity of this.
·In 2003, the "Regulations regarding the installation and operation of practical generation nuclear reactors" stated that Implementation of technical evaluation and settlement of long-term maintenance administration policies were required before 30 year passes from the day of the commencement of operation, as well as a review within every 10 years from then on.
·In 2004, "aging management committee" was launched by the authorities in order to improve aging management. In December 2005, a guideline was drawn out according to the discussions of this committee, and in January 2006, reporting of technical evaluation and long-term maintenance administration policies were obligated by the "Regulations regarding the installation and operation of practical generation nuclear reactors".
·In August 2008 the "Regulations regarding the installation and operation of practical generation nuclear reactors" was revised, and in October the guidelines for the implementation of aging management was revised. Through this revision, aging management was improved since the approval of a long-term administration policy with additional items extracted by the technical aging evaluation was required.

*4 Long-term maintenance administration policy
Items and schedule of maintenance administration decided taking into account the items extracted that should be added to the securing measures in the next 10 years, according to the results of technical aging evaluation.

*5 Correction of the application for approval of alteration in nuclear reactor facilities security regulation
Regarding "Report on technical aging evaluation for No.1 reactor of Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station", that is the attachment of "Application for the approval of alteration in nuclear reactor facilities security regulations of Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station (applied on January 13, 2012)", we conducted correction of the application for approval of alteration in nuclear reactor facilities security regulation because we described more details on the deteriorated conditions of important facilities, etc for safety before the earthquake, reflecting the appraisal results of the Government.