Press Releases 2013

Due to the Tohoku-Chihou-Taiheiyou-Oki Earthquake which occurred on March 11, 2011, TEPCO's facilities including our nuclear power stations have been severely damaged. We deeply apologize for the anxiety and inconvenience caused.
With regard to the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, on April 17, 2011, we have compiled the roadmap towards restoration from the accident and on July 19 we accomplished the Step1 target "Radiation dose is in steady decline". Then on December 16 we confirmed the accomplishment of the Step 2 target "Release of radioactive materials is under control and radiation doses are being significantly held down".
In addition, on December 21, 2011, we have compiled the "Mid-to-long-Term Roadmap toward the Decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Units 1-4, TEPCO".
In addition to the maintenance of the plant's stable condition, we will implement Mid-to-Long Term countermeasures towards the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Units 1-4 to enable evacuees to return to their homes as soon as possible and reduce the anxiety of the people in Fukushima and the whole nation as soon as possible.

Below is the status of TEPCO's nuclear power stations (Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini).

* The updates are underlined.

[Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station]
·Unit 1 to 4: Abolishment (April 19, 2012)
·Unit 5 to 6: Outage due to regular inspections before the earthquake

-At around 12:12 PM on February 23, a cooperative company worker found a puddle near the center of the Heater Room on the first floor of Unit 2 Turbine Building. The puddle was approx. 5m x 1m x 1mm. It was confirmed that water was dripping from some areas of the ceiling (a drop every 5 seconds) and that there was no leakage from the piping and temporary hose installed near the puddle. The radioactivity density analysis results of the water sampled from the puddle are as follows. Cesium 134: 1.3x10²Bq/cm³, cesium 137: 2.5x10²Bq/cm³. The contamination conditions (radioactivity densities) of the floor surface are as follows: Cesium 134: 1.2x10²Bq/cm³, cesium 137: 2.1x10²Bq/cm³. The atmosphere dose rates measured at the site are as follows: γ+β: 0.7mSv/h, γ: 0.7mSv/h. Also, a puddle (approx. 15m x 11m x 10mm) was found in the Turbine Exhaust Filter Room on the second floor of Unit 2 Turbine Building, which is located just above the site where a puddle was first found. On February 25, the puddle in the Turbine Exhaust Filter Room on the second floor of Unit 2 Turbine Building was identified to be the water dripping from the ceiling. The radioactivity density analysis results of the water dripping from the ceiling of the Turbine Exhaust Filter Room (obtained on February 26) are as follows. Cesium 134: 1.1×10⁰Bq/cm³, cesium 137: 1.9x10⁰Bq/cm³. The water is assumed to be rainwater. Upon site investigation, it was confirmed that water dripping onto the floor of the Heater Room on the first floor (a drop every 5 seconds) and onto the floor of the Turbine Exhaust Filter Room on the second floor (a drop every 2-3 seconds) had been continuing. The incident is currently being investigated in details.
< Reference > Radioactivity analysis results of the accumulated water in the basement of Unit 2 Turbine Building (Sampled on January 11, 2013)
Cesium: 1.8x10⁴Bq/cm³, cesium 137: 3.4x10⁴Bq/cm³

-At 1:55 PM on February 15, we started transferring the accumulated water in Unit 3 Turbine Building basement to the Central Radioactive Waste Treatment Facility (Miscellaneous Solid Waste Volume Reduction Treatment Building [High Temperature Incinerator Building]). At 2:01 PM on February 24, the transfer was stopped. At 2:29 PM on the same day, the transfer was restarted. At 9:25 AM on February 27, the transfer was stopped.

[Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station]
·Unit 1 to 4: Shutdown due to the earthquake.

-At around 10:29 AM on January 28, a cooperative company worker who was repairing cable in the high voltage power supply facility switchboard room (controlled area^*) in the basement of Unit 1 Reactor Building Annex fell off a stool (height: approx. 0.9m) and injured his left elbow. Upon judgment of a doctor at the medical clinic, an ambulance was called at 10:55 AM. The worker is conscious and has no radioactive material attached on his body. The worker was later transported to Fukushima Accident Hospital. As a result of medical check, the condition was diagnosed as a fracture dislocation of the left elbow joint which will require about 2 weeks of hospitalization and out-patient treatment on the regular basis. The cause of the injury will be investigated and recurrence prevention measures are to be considered and implemented. The cause of the injury is assumed to be a lack of risk awareness of the worker due to the stool being low (0.9m). Workers and cooperative companies have been informed on the incident. As a recurrence prevention measure, the use of portable stools with hand rail (if the height of stool is 0.7m or more) will be required from now on.
*Radiation controlled area where the expansion of radioactive contamination is prevented for the purpose of limiting unnecessary radiation among workers.

* Revised past progress

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