Fukushima Daiichi NPS Prompt Report 2015

British nuclear safety expert is expected to become Chief Nuclear Safety Officer after regulatory approval

TOKYO, March 31, 2015 - Dr. John Crofts, the British-born nuclear safety expert who for the last two years has advised TEPCO's Board of Directors as head of its Nuclear Safety Oversight Office, will move into the company's executive branch, effective April 1. He will also continue in his role as head of the NSOO.

Once approval from the Nuclear Regulation Authority is obtained, Crofts will also become TEPCO's Chief Nuclear Safety Officer. He is the first foreigner to be named to an executive position at any Japanese utility.

The Nuclear Safety Oversight Office had been formed as part of TEPCO's Nuclear Safety Reform Plan, and during Crofts' tenure has provided the Board with valuable guidance, TEPCO Chairman Fumio Sudo said. Bringing him into the company's executive branch would give him the authority to implement many of the NSOO's recommendations - and opportunity Crofts says he very much looks forward to.

"The last two years have been a deeply rewarding experience," Crofts said, "and I very much appreciate the trust the company has placed in me. I look forward to the challenges ahead and to helping TEPCO continue implementation of the Nuclear Safety Reform Plan."

Chairman Sudo announced the appointment during the March 30 meeting of TEPCO's Nuclear Reform Monitoring Committee. Lady Barbara Judge, Deputy Chairman of the Committee, who had played an instrumental role in establishing the NSOO, praised the appointment.

"Dr. Crofts has done a superb job in creating the NSOO and making it a truly effective instrument in TEPCO's growing embrace of safety culture," she said. "Giving him executive authority to implement the recommendations the NSOO makes will help TEPCO take the important next steps on its safety journey. I congratulate both John and TEPCO on this appointment."

Before becoming head of the NSOO in May 2013, Crofts held a variety of senior positions in nuclear energy, including his role as Director of Assurance covering safety, environment, health, security and nuclear materials management for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

He graduated from England's Warwick University and did his Ph.D. dissertation on The Solid Phase High Temperature Chemistry of Nuclear Materials.

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 34,000 employees are committed to providing safe, reliable power to its 29.0 million customers, diversifying energy resources to ensure sustainability, and contributing to economic growth while fully meeting its responsibilities after the Fukushima Daiichi accident.
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