Based on the Restoration Plan (submitted and published on January 31, 2012) prepared in accordance with the Nuclear Operator Emergency Action Plan, Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station is now proceeding with restoration of facilities for maintaining cold shutdown of the station. We report the restoration progress status at the end of July 2012 as shown below.
1. Progress Status of the Restoration Plan
The restoration work for Unit 1-3 is proceeding steadily. On May 17, 2012, the restoration (permanent installation) of the equipments/facilities necessary to maintain cold shutdown state has been completed for Unit 4. The internal inspection after the permanent installation of equipments/facilities has also been completed. An interim progress report was created and submitted to the government on May 31 (As mentioned in the press release issued on May 31, 2012).
- % in the chart shows the progress rate of restoration work as per the Restoration Plan (Up to the permanent installation) as of the end of July 2012. % in parenthesis shows the progress rate of the previous monthly report. See Appendix 1 for details.
- At the internal inspection after the permanent installation, the equipments subject to the Restoration Plan will be tested (for each unit).
Note: For Unit 3, the rate is the same as the previous month because there was no change in each step. However, the restoration tasks are proceeding steadily.
2. Major Progresses Based on the Restoration Plan (July 2012)
Installation of power panel (P/C 1C-2) at Unit 1 Seawater Heat Exchanger Building
The newly manufactured power panel (P/C 1C-2) at Unit 1 Seawater Heat Exchanger Building (to replace the power panel damaged by the Tsunami) has been installed on July 10. [See Appendix 1 and 2] Function check including a voltage resistance test will be performed to complete the permanent installation and the cables to supply power to the related systems will be permanently installed.
Function check completed for the residual heat removal cooling system (C system) in Unit 1 Seawater Heat Exchanger Building
The electric motor of the residual heat removal cooling system (C system) in Unit 1 Seawater Heat Exchanger Building damaged by the Tsunami was fixed and moved back on the first floor of the Seawater Heat Exchanger Building on May 22. Test operation using the temporary power supply and cables was completed on July 24 and no problem was found as a result. [See Appendix 1 and 2] The permanent cables will be installed to complete the permanent installation of the system.
Removal of the power panel (P/C 2D-2) from Unit 2 Seawater Heat Exchanger Building
The power panel (P/C 2D-2) in Unit 2 Seawater Heat Exchanger Building damaged by the Tsunami has been removed on July 6. [See Appendix 1] A new power panel will be manufactured for permanent installation.
3. Other Progresses
From the perspective of simplified equipment maintenance, the fuel loaded in the reactor is moved to the spent fuel pool after the soundness inspection of the equipments necessary for opening the reactor and moving the fuel*1 is completed (Previously announced on January 31, 2012).
As for Unit 4, the permanent installation of equipments/facilities necessary to maintain cold shutdown state was completed on May 17, 2012. The inspection of the equipments necessary for fuel removal has been completed on June 26, 2012 and the soundness of these equipments has been confirmed on July 2, 2012 (Previously announced on July 3, 2012). Currently we are preparing for opening the reactor (planned on September 10).
In accordance with the four points to consider*2 specified by the Nuclear Safety Commission when the cancellation of a nuclear emergency situation was declared, TEPCO is committed to continuously pursuing the measures for restoration from nuclear emergency and further reliability improvement.
As for the consideration point 4, the systems subject to the measures were selected at the end of March 2012. We are currently in the process of assessing impact on the selected systems.
End
Appendixes
1: Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station: Progress Status Based on the Restoration Plan (As of the End of July 2012) (PDF 67.9KB)
2: < Photos > Major Progress Statuses Based on the Restoration Plan (July 2012) (PDF 49.1KB)
- Installation of power panel (P/C 1C-2) at Unit 1 Seawater Heat Exchanger Building
- Function check completed for the residual heat removal cooling system (C system) in Unit 1 Seawater Heat Exchanger Building
3: < Photos > Other Topics (July 2012) (PDF 470KB)
- Impact of Tsunami on the monitoring posts and the current situations
*1 Equipments necessary for opening the reactor and moving the fuel
Overhead traveling crane, fuel handling machine, spent fuel storage rack and spent fuel pool
*2 Four points to consider specified by Nuclear Safety Commission
On December 26, 2011, the Nuclear Safety Commission submitted a proposal to the Prime Minster that the cancellation of a nuclear emergency situation of the TEPCO Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station is allowed to be declared, along with four points to consider for the issuance of the declaration. On January 11, 2012, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry issued instructions to observe the consideration points when preparing and implementing the Restoration Plan for Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station.
1. Part of the facilities at the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station is temporary installation, to which appropriate maintenance should be provided. The dependence rate of the temporary installation should be reduced according to a plan.
2. The safety facilities for part of the residual heat removal systems have not yet been recovered, to which appropriate management should be provided according to the situation until the restoration of these facilities. In preparing for natural disasters and other incidents, all possible measures should be taken to ensure safety.
3. Thorough safety management including the safety of workers should be implemented.
4. Based on the past pressure and temperature records before cold shutdown that showed abnormal values different from those during a regular period, impacts of these elements on the facilities should be considered.
