Fukushima Daiichi NPS Prompt Report 2015

Agreement is part of TEPCO's commitment to exchange knowledge, expertise on decommissioning issues with international organizations

TOKYO, Sept. 23 - TEPCO has entered into a formal agreement with French nuclear research organization CEA to share information regarding decommissioning, part of an ongoing commitment both to learn from others and to share the experience in decommissioning Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

The agreement is an outgrowth of "N-20" meetings between representatives of France and Japan in November 2014. Both organizations concluded that mutual information exchange would contribute to safe and stable decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi as well as sites for which CEA is responsible. Although the precise information to be shared will be determined over time, TEPCO expects to learn more about the management of decommissioning sites.

Chief Decommissioning Officer Naohiro Masuda, who signed the agreement for TEPCO, said: "I believe that the conclusion of the information exchange agreement with the CEA is significant for TEPCO to proceed with Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning safely and steadily. Knowledge and experiences of the CEA in the areas of R & D and decommissioning would help TEPCO incorporate international expertise."

He continued: "We expect to learn from the CEA's many years of valuable experience of managing from technological development with partner companies to the applications onsite in the fields of decommissioning and nuclear waste management. At the same time, we would like to make this agreement with the CEA mutually beneficial by sharing our lessons from ongoing as well as future efforts."

CEA's full name is Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives. Since 1945, it has played a leading role in nuclear research and development, and in recent years it has been engaged in basic research and development. Christophe Behar, Director of CEA's Nuclear Energy Development Division, signed the agreement for CEA.

He commented that "The nuclear energy division of CEA, responsible for all D&D activities of CEA, is proud through the signature of this agreement to be engaged in a long term relationship with TEPCO, and hopes to share its experience, while learning a lot through the different steps of the future decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi plant."

The information-sharing arrangement is similar to the agreement TEPCO signed in September 2014 with Sellafield Ltd., which also calls for the exchange of knowledge and expertise regarding decommissioning. It reflects an overall commitment to collaborate globally, not only on decommissioning but in operations as well. For example, TEPCO's Nuclear Power & Plant Siting Division has also proactively exchanged international experiences to enhance nuclear safety and management.

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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