Back to 2006 listShipment of low-level radioactive waste
March 10, 2006
Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.
Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. will ship low-level radioactive waste stored at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant to Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd.'s Rokkasho-Mura Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Center, located in the village of Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture.
Chubu Electric Power plans to transport the low-level radioactive waste over land from the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant to the Company's private quay at the Port of Omaezaki, as outlined below.
Shipment overview
1. Scheduled shipment dates:
Monday, March 13 - Tuesday, March 14, 2006
2. Shipment route:
From the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant to Chubu Electric Power's private quay at the Port of Omaezaki
3. Quantity shipped:
Transport containers: 135 (each containing eight drums)
Total: 1080 drums (solidified)
4. Mode of shipment:
A single container containing individual waste drums will be loaded onto each truck at Waste Reduction Facility No. 2. The trucks will travel in convoys of two trucks each to Chubu Electric Power's private quay at the Port of Omaezaki.
The waste will be transported from the Port of Omaezaki to the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Center via a vessel used specifically for the transport low-level radioactive waste (the Seiei Maru) and by truck.
(Detailed description)
Overview of shipment of low-level radioactive waste
Under the terms of an agreement between the two companies on disposal of low-level radioactive waste, Chubu Electric Power ships its low-level radioactive waste to Japan Nuclear Fuel's Rokkasho-Mura Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Center.
Counting this shipment, Chubu Electric Power has to date made a total of 21 shipments of low-level radioactive waste to the Rokkasho-Mura Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Center.
Low-level radioactive waste included in this shipment
The low-level radioactive waste included in this shipment consists of unburnable solid waste encased in drums filled with solidified mortar. The external appearance, dose-equivalent rates, and other aspects of the shipment have been confirmed by the Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES).
Past shipments of low-level radioactive waste
This shipment will be the 21st shipment of low-level radioactive waste from the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant to the Rokkasho-Mura Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Center since the first such shipment was made in 1993.
The following table provides the details of each shipment:
* This shipment's scheduled date and number of drums
Summary description of transport containers to be used in this shipment
| Material | Size | Weight |
| Steel | 3.2m(D) * 1.6m(W) * 1.1m(H) | Approx. 1 ton |
These transport containers have been designed pursuant to applicable laws and regulations and have passed safety inspections performed by the Nippon Kaiji Kentei Kyokai.
Summary description of the vessel to be used in this shipment
| Name | Length | Width | Load capacity | Maximum loadable number of transport containers (Number of drums) |
| Seiei Maru | Approx.100m | Approx.16m | Approx.3,000tons | 384 (3,072 drums) |
The Seiei Maru is owned by Nuclear Fuel Transport Co., Ltd.
Collisions are highly unlikely: The Seiei Maru transports waste employing rigorous safety planning and safety measures, including the installation of radar and anti-collision equipment and use of efficient route planning. Even in the event of a collision, the Seiei Maru is double-hulled to make sinking highly improbable.
The Seiei Maru is to arrive with this shipment at the Port of Mutsu Ogawara on Thursday, March 16, 2006.
Low-level radioactive waste storage capacity and number of drums in storage
As of January 31, 2006
| Solid-waste repository | Capacity | Number of drums in storage |
| No.1 | Equivalent of 7,000 | Equivalent of 3,824 |
| No. 2 | Equivalent of 35,000 | Equivalent of 32,124 |
| Total | Equivalent of 42,000 | Equivalent of 35,948 |
Land-transport safety measures
Safety measures taken for the trucks used in land transport include safe securing of the cargo in place and proper labeling. Other safety measures include the stationing of traffic control personnel to direct traffic at key intersections along the route.
In addition, a transportation headquarters will be established at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant to ascertain the status of the shipment and to establish a network ensuring smooth communications regarding the shipment. Tools and materials such as equipment for measuring radiation and materials for safeguarding against exposure to radiation will be in place at the transportation headquarters at the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, as well as at other locations.
Countermeasures in the event of an accident (communication network)
In the event of an accident during shipment, related government agencies, police departments, fire departments, and other bodies will be notified, and related information will be promptly released to the media.
Those responsible for shipment will take various measures, including establishing prohibited-entry zones accessible to authorized personnel only, fighting and preventing the spread of any fires, and preventing the spread of and cleaning up any contamination. Subsequent emergency measures are to be implemented based on circumstances in cooperation with police and fire departments.
Future shipment plans
This is the final shipment of low-level radioactive waste for the 2005 fiscal year. Plans for shipments in the 2006 fiscal year and beyond are currently being prepared in cooperation with the various parties involved.
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