Key Point of President's Regular Press Conference
Key Point of President's Regular Press Conference
June 2014 Regular Press Conference : President Mizuno's Message
June 26, 2014
Chubu Electric Power Co.,Inc.
- I am Akihisa Mizuno, President of Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.
- Today I will be discussing
- Efforts toward the voluntary improvement of nuclear safety
- Electricity supply and demand this summer
- Transfers of personnel to executive positions
Efforts toward the voluntary improvement of nuclear safety
- To begin, I would like to discuss our efforts toward the voluntary improvement of nuclear safety.
- Trust in nuclear safety has been greatly compromised due to the Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, which occurred on March 11, 2011.
- The national government established the Nuclear Regulation Authority, and has strengthened efforts aimed at ensuring nuclear safety, such as providing new regulatory standards, etc. We at Chubu Electric also aim to promptly conform to the regulatory standards, and are in the process of implementing necessary additional measures.
- In order to prevent another serious nuclear accident from ever happening again, not only must we meet national regulatory requirements, but we must also pursue further safety on our own as nuclear operators.
- We have made efforts to reduce the risks associated with nuclear power, such as a voluntary construction work to increase the earthquake resistance margin, and implementing countermeasures for serious accidents.
- However, in light of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident, we reaffirmed the reality that it is not possible to completely remove risks associated with nuclear power. We will repeat ceaseless efforts toward reducing nuclear risks, and along with enhancing safety of nuclear power, we must put our best efforts into strengthening our disaster prevention system in the chance that an accident occurs.
- In the "Chubu Electric Power Group Nuclear Safety Charter" to be enacted on July 1, while clarifying the ideas and attitudes toward the voluntary improvement of nuclear safety, the charter is a renewed pledge of Chubu Electric Group’s determination to prevent a serious nuclear accident from ever happening again.
- Under this charter, I will stand at the head of the Chubu Electric Group, set ensuring security the highest managerial priority, and will continue to drive the implementation of efforts toward improving safety without group employees losing focus on the risks associated with nuclear power.
- The "Roadmap" announced the other day shows in detail the activities to be implemented under this charter.
- Various efforts, including medium-to long-term challenges are incorporated in the Roadmap. In the future, we will aim for the reification of each and every effort to connect to real actions, and bring the world’s highest level of safety to the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station which gives peace of mind to members of society, including local communities.
Electricity supply and demand this summer
- Next, I would like to talk about electric power supply and demand this summer.
- We have already made an announcement regarding the subject, but regarding the electric supply and demand for the summer,
- The maximum power three-day average was 25,210MW (July August),
- With regard to supply capacity, with the general operations starting at the Joetsu Thermal Power Station beginning in May of this year, the supply capacity for August reached 27,230MW. We predict that we can ensure the 8% reserve margin that is the benchmark for stable supply in relation to the maximum power three-day average.
- In order to be absolutely certain of the supply readiness, from the beginning of April to the beginning of June, Chubu Electric performed a general inspection of all thermal power stations to verify soundness.
- On the other hand, the government has requested standard energy conservation measures without numerical targets throughout the country, with the exception of the area covered by the Okinawa Electric Power Company.
- We wish to sincerely thank our customers for their long-term cooperation in efforts to conserve energy since the since summer 2011. We would also like to again request our customers to continue as they have been in making efforts to conserve energy, without unreasonably affecting their daily activities.
- Chubu Electric will conduct intensive and focused inspection and maintenance of power stations and transmission and conversion facilities in order to ensure the provision of a stable supply of power to its customers. At the same time, together with our customers’ efforts to conserve energy, we will supplement power to Eastern Japan where supply shortages are expected and help ensure a stable supply of power there.
Appointment of Officers
- Finally, I would like to talk about appointments of officers, effective July 1st.
- Chubu Electric will be moving new people into executive posts effective July 1st, in order to create more appropriate conditions for resolving management issues.
- As in the "Operating Objectives" announced in April, we will do our best to move forward with the "Three Key Initiatives," including
"Initiative to further enhance safety of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station,"
"Initiative for stable supply of electric power," and
"Initiative for management efficiency". - With the appointments of officers for this fiscal year, in addition to the steady performance of these “Three Key Initiatives,” we worked on putting the right people in the right places so as to flexibly respond to future environmental changes.
- As a result of the carefully selected necessary personnel transfers, the transfer scale remained on the same level as the previous year at 1,666 people.
- The following are being implemented as features of these transfers:
- A Crisis Management Department was established as an organization for strengthening the disaster prevention system at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station,
- The number of staff was increased to strengthen the growing international business.
- To prepare for intensified competition, dedicated salespeople aimed at further improving the service of customers with less than 500kW of high voltage have been dispatched
- Although the management environment surrounding our company is currently in an extremely severe situation, having enhanced our state of preparedness, we will work together as a single entity, with myself at the head, in order to overcome our difficulties.
- That concludes my remarks for today.