Press Release

Press Release

Efforts to Respond to New Standards at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station (Implementation of Construction Work in Emergency Response Center and Installation of Fire Prevention Equipment)

June 27, 2013
Chubu Electric Power Co.,Inc.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority decided on new standards on June 19, 2013. The new standards specify items necessitating consideration of further measures and concrete responses in addition to the severe accident countermeasures, including the positioning of tsunami countermeasures and the installation of filter vents, with which we are already proceeding. Looking towards realizing conformity with the new standards, Chubu Electric is continuing with studies based on Nuclear Regulation Authority regulations, evaluation guides and other guidelines, and proceeding with preparations for any necessary construction work.

As we finished preparation for a part of the construction work in response to the requirements of the new standards in relation to the establishment of an Emergency Response Center and the installation of fire protection equipment towards achieving conformity with the standards, we have decided to commence its construction work.

Seeking to conform rapidly to the new standards, we will continue to conduct studies that also incorporate other requirements, and we will successively implement the necessary measures on this basis.

1. Implementation of installation work in Emergency Response Center

In addition to requiring that the Emergency Response Center should not suffer any loss of functions in an earthquake or tsunami, the new standards demand adequate shielding performance and the use of ventilation and air conditioning equipment and a variety of essential measurement devices in order to ensure livability for emergency response personnel.

We are proceeding with a study of the necessary measures to enable us to satisfy these livability-related and other requirements, and as a first step today commenced work for the installation of essential measurement equipment, consisting of area monitors and oximeters to measure the indoor radiation level.

2. Implementation of installation work for fire prevention equipment

With regard to our fire protection measures, under the new standards there has been no change to our three central principles: prevention of fires, detection and extinguishing of fires, and mitigation of impact of fires. In relation to specific measures, the regulatory standards contain requirements for the realization of increased reliability. For example, in the area of mitigation of fire impact, one of the demands of the standards is to isolate systems by means of measures including the installation of partition walls able to maintain fire resistance for three hours.

We are proceeding with studies of the measures that will be necessary in response to these requirements of the new standards, and as a first step we have decided to commence work for the installation of additional fire detection equipment in the areas in which cables essential to safety are laid in Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station Units 3 and 4. This work will be commenced tomorrow.

Chubu Electric Power will engage all its resources in the sure and steady effort to further enhance the safety of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station. We are also committed to providing detailed explanations of the substance of those efforts in order to contribute to the peace of mind of local residents and society at large.

Reference

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