Fukushima Daiichi NPS Prompt Report 2014

Sellafield Ltd's experience in UK decommissioning expected to aid work at Fukushima

LONDON, May 1, 2014- Two of the world's most experienced organizations in the decommissioning of nuclear power plants -- TEPCO and Sellafield Ltd. -- have agreed to share information to assist each other's long-term work in Japan and the UK.

The Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) is responsible for the cleanup at its Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, which was severely damaged by the tsunami following the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011. To focus attention and resources on the cleanup, TEPCO recently created the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi D& D Engineering Company (FDEC), whose leader, Naohiro Masuda, signed the agreement in a ceremony today at University College London.

Sellafield Ltd. is the company responsible for safely delivering decommissioning of the UK's nuclear legacy as well as fuel recycling and the management of low, high and intermediate level nuclear waste activities on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). It is owned by a consortium of American, British and French companies known as Nuclear Management Partners Ltd (NMP). As the Parent Body Organisation for Sellafield Ltd, the NMP consortium is managing and operating the Sellafield site in West Cumbria and the engineering design capability based at Risley in Warrington. Tony Price, Sellafield's managing director, signed the agreement at the same ceremony.

The ceremony was also attended by Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is visiting London.

Broad Collaboration

The Cooperation Statement broadly contemplates that the two organizations will share "expertise, experience and technology in radioactive waste management, clean up and decommissioning." In particular, Sellafield's experience in radioactive waste management, clean up and decommissioning is expected to assist FDEC in managing this continuing challenge.

The agreement also contemplates visits by representatives of each company to the other's sites.

Upon signing the agreement, TEPCO's Masuda said, "I deeply thank the governments of UK and Japan, the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and Sellafield Ltd. and the related persons for being able to sign a cooperation statement towards the information exchanging agreement with Sellafield Ltd., a company possessing the latest knowledge concerning decommissioning and contaminated water issues, experiencing the decommissioning of the Windscale nuclear reactor and its radioactive waste storage facility. I believe this would be a significant event to safely and promptly implement the decommissioning and address water issues at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

"From now on, we expect to carry out safe and effective decommissioning at each site, by openly exchanging information regarding the similar challenges both sites face."

Sellafield Ltd Managing Director, Tony Price, heralded the agreement as a major step forward for the company and the wider UK nuclear industry. He said, "We have much that we can help the Japanese with initially, as the move their focus from power generation and to cleaning up and decommissioning.

"There are many similar challenges that we'll be facing on our sites over the coming years and we can share our experiences, access to our supply chains and any advancements that come in the future. This will make sure we are both better equipped to deliver our respective missions.

"We serve similar local communities and I know that the one thing the Japanese are keen to mirror is the way in which we work with our local community to inform them about the work we do in an open, transparent and proactive manner. We've already sent a delegation to Japan to talk to them about how we work in partnership with our local stakeholders."

Lady Barbara Judge CBE, deputy chairman of the TEPCO Nuclear Reform Monitoring Committee and former Chairman of the U.K. Atomic Energy Authority, said "I am especially pleased by the signing of the agreement. I know first hand that the knowledge and experience of Sellafield will greatly benefit not only TEPCO and its new decommissioning company as it works to clean up Fukushima, but the entire Japanese nation."

The cooperation agreement was developed mindful of the international context, in particular the Japan-UK Framework on Civil Nuclear Co-operation. That framework was adopted in April 2012 as part of a joint statement of the two countries' prime ministers. The Framework calls for sharing of technical expertise, cooperation on nuclear safety, and continuing dialog on the full range of civil nuclear activities.

For details and photos of the ceremony, please go to http://photo.tepco.co.jp/en/date/2014/201405-e/140502-01e.html.
(The video of the ceremony will be posted on the above page soon.)

About Fukushima Daiichi D& D Engineering Company (FDEC)

Fukushima Daiichi D& D Engineering Company (FDEC) is a new entity established on April 1, 2014 within Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), to focus solely on the cleanup and decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi. It is led by Naohiro Masuda, the company's Chief Decommissioning Officer, and reports directly to TEPCO's President.

About TEPCO

Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc. (TEPCO) is Japan's largest power company, supplying energy to the greater Kanto area, including Japan's two most populous cities, Tokyo and Yokohama. Its 35,000 employees are committed to providing safe, reliable power to its 28.8 million customers, diversifying energy resources to ensure sustainability, and contributing to economic growth while fully meeting its responsibilities after the Fukushima Daiichi accident.