Press Release
Results of Survey of Uranium Ore Storage Status
September 12, 2012
Chubu Electric Power Co.,Inc.
In February of this year, Chubu Electric Power confirmed one instance of uranium ore that does not require adherence to procedures under the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law*1 in a department not conducting public relations at a customer service office, and we therefore conducted a survey of the storage status of uranium ore, etc. at all business sites. This is to announce that we have completed the survey and compiled the results.
The Company conducted a survey to determine whether the Company was storing nuclear materials without the accountancy and control demanded by the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law, looking at departments concerned with nuclear power that handle nuclear materials*2 and departments concerned with public relations that might handle simulated nuclear materials.*3 We confirmed eight instances of nuclear materials for which procedures based on the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law had not been followed, including five instances of nuclear materials that had not been subject to accountancy and control. We reported these results to the national government and publicly disclosed them.
The survey also confirmed 39 instances of nuclear materials for which no procedures are required to be followed under the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law, a fact that was also disclosed. We also decided to establish a section responsible for centralized inventory management of nuclear materials that are not used in nuclear power generation. (This was previously disclosed on February 27, 2012.)
Subsequently, we confirmed one instance of uranium ore not requiring the following of procedures under the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law at a department not conducting public relations at a customer service office, and we therefore conducted a survey of the storage status of the same type of nuclear materials at all departments other than those concerned with nuclear power generation and public relations. The survey confirmed one more instance of uranium ore not requiring the following of procedures under the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law at a separate customer service office.
Therefore, the number of instances of nuclear materials stored by Chubu Electric Power that do not require the following of procedures under the Law has increased by two, from 39 to 41. These nuclear materials not used for nuclear power generation are now being stored under strict supervision and inventories are being properly managed by the nuclear power division.
The surface radiation levels of these two instances of nuclear materials confirmed since February 27 were found to be very low and to present no risk to human health.
*1 In Articles 43 and 44 of the Nuclear Reactor Regulation Law, it is not required to follow procedures if the total uranium multiplied by three, plus the total thorium, is no greater than 900 grams at one business site.
*2 Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station, Nuclear Power Department, Fuels Department Nuclear Fuels Group
*3 Corporate Communication Department (including the Electricity Museum); Plant Siting Department; Electric Power Research & Development Center, Generation Group, Nuclear Power Team; Tokyo Office, Nuclear Power Group, Thermal Power Administration Center (including thermal power stations, Hekinantantopia Electricity Museum, Chita Electric Power Museum, Kawagoe Electric Power Museum Tera 46 and Mega Solar Taketoyo) that conduct public relations; departments of the Human Resources Development Center (including Electric Power Historical Museum) that conduct public relations; Ikawa Exhibition Hall; Nagoya Port Wildflower Garden and departments of regional offices (including customer service offices, field maintenance construction offices, local maintenance offices and satellite service offices) that conduct public relations