Fukushima Daiichi NPS Prompt Report 2014

FUKUSHIMA, May 20, 2014-A major milestone in the resolution of water management issues at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station will begin as early as tomorrow, with the bypass of clean groundwater around the facility and into the sea. Final agreement on the ocean discharge were made with the government, Fukushima Prefecture and the Fukushima fishermen's union, after tests confirmed that the water quality meets stringent safety standards, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) announced today.

Noting the significance of the step, TEPCO President Naomi Hirose said: "This represents an important step in addressing the management of water at Fukushima Daiichi, which is our highest immediate priority. We appreciate the cooperation of the government, Fukushima Prefecture and the fishermen, and are fully committed to meeting our obligation to rigorous monitoring and protection of the environment."

The groundwater bypass, one of several strategies being employed to reduce the accumulation of contaminated water at the plant, aims to intercept clean groundwater as it flows downhill toward the sea, and reroute it safely around the facility. The water is temporarily stored to verify its quality prior to release.

To accomplish this, TEPCO began pumping upstream groundwater at the site on April 9, following an agreement between TEPCO and the fishermen that had been worked out in two years of discussion.

As part of its obligations under the agreement, TEPCO will have the water's quality monitored regularly by an independent third party using safety and environmental standards more stringent than those set by Japanese law. The company pledged to suspend the bypass operation if at any time water quality limits are exceeded.

Once in full operation, the groundwater bypass is expected to reduce the amount flowing into the building basements by up to 100 tons per day, a reduction of 25 percent. The bypass will help reduce the volume of water that becomes contaminated and then needs to be cleaned and stored on site. This, in turn, is expected to reduce the burdens on the storage facility by slowing the pace of contaminated water accumulation.

Water quality results are seen at http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/f1/smp/2014/images/bypastank_140514_01-e.pdf

Water discharge criteria for the system is explained at http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/handouts/2014/images/handouts_140203_04-e.pdf

<What is groundwater bypass system?>
Simple explanation of the bypass system may be obtained at http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/handouts/2014/images/handouts_140520_06-e.pdf

A video explaining the bypass system may be seen at http://photo.tepco.co.jp/en/date/2014/201404-e/140404-01e.html

Groundwater Bypass Plan - For Suppressing Increase of Contaminated Water -
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/info/13052901-e.html

The Groundwater Bypass System
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/water/13062501-e.html

Q&A
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/info/13072201-e.html

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.