Key Point of President's Regular Press Conference

Key Point of President's Regular Press Conference

May 2017 Regular Press Conference : President Katsuno's Message

May 30, 2017
Chubu Electric Power Co.,Inc.

  • Today I will be discussing the following two matters:
    • Drills performed at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station
    • Chubu Electric Power’s curling team taking part in tournament to determine All-Japan team

Drills performed at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station

  • I first would like to talk about drills performed at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station.
  • This May marked six years since Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station stopped operating in May 2011 at the request of Japan’s then-Prime Minister.
  • Chubu Electric Power is promoting its efforts to improve safety of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station by embracing lessons learned from the Fukushima accident and with strong commitment to preventing any similar events.
  • If thorough safety measures are taken and if reliably operated, nuclear power can serve as a power source beneficial in the challenges Japan faces as a resource-poor country such as energy security, maintenance of reasonable electricity rates, and global warming prevention.
  • Chubu Electric Power is making steady progress in safety improvement-geared work. It also is being fully committed to measures on enhancing the effectiveness of emergency preparedness by developing emergency response schemes, enhancing drills, and strengthening coordination with local governments.
  • Chubu Electric Power is also cooperating in a sincere manner with examinations to ensure compliance with New Regulatory Requirements. Not only will we as a company comply with the requirements, but we also will always implement equipment measures that reflect the latest knowledge, and steadfastly hone both our operational/maintenance technology and skills.
  • As a routine effort at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station, Chubu Electric Power familiarizes personnel with skills for finding plant or equipment abnormality signs to prevent trouble. In addition to that, Chubu Electric Power simulates accident occurrence and repeats drills to further enhance nuclear emergency measures, which includes actions for swiftly containing accidents and sharing information speedily and reliably with in-house and outdoor sectors.
  • Today I would like to talk about drills from the measures Chubu Electric Power implements at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station.
  • Chubu Electric Power divides the drills at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station into three large categories: full-scale drills, field drills, and map exercises.
  • Full-scale drills are done twice a year. In these drills, Emergency Task Force Headquarters are established in the corporate headquarters and in Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station. The Executive Officer of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station serves as the Task Force General Manager of Hamaoka, while I, Chubu Electric Power President, serve as the General Manager of the corporate headquarters Task Force and lead the drills.
  • Around 700 employees participated in the full-scale drill that was held this March.
  • This drill was meant for strengthening the practical skills and decision-making abilities of commanders, checking response steps under the commander’s instructions, and enhancing information-sharing and other response capabilities.
  • The full-scale drill this March simulated a severe accident involving failure in injecting water into the reactor, and it checked:
    • Appropriate activities for bringing the accident under control
    • Identification of the ever-changing plant status
    • Coordination between corporate headquarters and Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station
    • Reports and notifications to national and local governments
    • Preparation of public release materials

     

  • Recent full-scale drills have become more practical; for instance, it has adopted scenario-less drill methods, in which drill administrators do not announce accident details in advance.
  • Chubu Electric Power takes various equipment measures to prevent accidents. In the event accidents occur, station personnel act to contain and stop those events from developing.
  • To enable to quickly bring accidents under control, Chubu Electric Power has deployed in the station heavy equipment and mobile vehicles which feature water-injection and power supply functions. Field drills are intended to make personnel familiarize themselves with emergency field work, and also to maintain and improve skills for operating mobile vehicles and heavy equipment.
  • In FY2016, Chubu Electric Power simulated emergencies and performed around 700 drills such as those given below for each equipment and step:
    • Drills for the Emergency Response Force (usually referred to as the “ERF”) to operate power supply cars and remove debris
    • Environmental monitoring drills by the Radiation Control team
    • Nighttime drills for emergencies that occur during the night

     

  • Drills led by Transmission and Distribution Divisions to restore off-site power are performed every year too, in view of how significant securing off-site power supplies were in the Fukushima Accident.
  • Map exercises are drills Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station freshly introduced from FY2015.
  • They are meant for checking the coordination of response teams and for assessing situations, in an effort to improve decision-making abilities of the Executive Officer and other commanders.
  • Specific examples include carrying out drills and checking if the Emergency Response Center commander can make appropriate decisions and accurate instructions, by simulating various emergencies such as cyberattacks and terror attacks against stations.
  • In FY2016, Chubu Electric Power conducted five map exercises including a collaborative drill with Japan Nuclear Safety Institute (JANSI).
  • JANSI supports nuclear operators by advising on the administration and preparation of emergency preparedness drills. Chubu Electric Power will make its drills more effective in view of the advice JANSI provided following drills.
  • In addition to these emergency simulation drills I have shared thus far, Chubu Electric Power is performing drills that involve the use of the operation simulator to maintain and improve operational technique and skills.
  • Chubu Electric Power also takes active part in Shizuoka Prefecture’s annual nuclear emergency preparedness drills.
  • It is extremely important to enhance the effectiveness of nuclear emergency evacuation plans. Chubu Electric Power will thus provide training to improve skills needed in evacuations, including decontamination and radiation measuring inspections that are carried out when personnel evacuate and leave controlled areas.
  • Meanwhile, reliably delivering emergency information to local and other relevant parties in the event of a nuclear emergency is another key mission of Chubu Electric Power.
  • Chubu Electric Power is performing drills to swiftly and appropriately transmit station information in the wake of an emergency. It also is conducting drills for sending personnel to the Off-site Center and working with national and local governments to share station information as appropriate, in the event an accident escalates and leads to the establishment of said Center.
  • To allow for making proper responses during emergencies, Chubu Electric Power is actively working with Japan’s Self Defense Forces (SDF) too. In addition to Chubu Electric Power inspecting the SDF’s drills, the SDF has inspected Chubu Electric Power’s full-scale drills and provided advice on command and control.
  • As I referred to thus far, Chubu Electric Power is performing various drills and will:
    • Incorporate issues that were noticed in map exercises (these are exercises to develop crisis abilities of commanders, for whom immediate decision-makings are crucial) into full-scale and field drills
    • Apply improvement-requiring points that were noticed in full-scale and field drills into both of those drills

    Chubu Electric Power is looking to improve the overall effectiveness of the drills accordingly by maintaining the PDCA cycles of each drill, linking the drills, and incorporating external opinions and indications.

  • Chubu Electric Power will carefully describe to local and relevant parties the company’s efforts including equipment measures for higher safety and the drills I talked about today. By seeking the understanding of those parties, Chubu Electric Power will work hard in preparing to continuously use Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station as a key power source.

C hubu Electric Power’s curling team taking part in tournament to determine All-Japan team

  • The next topic is about Chubu Electric Power’s curling team.
  • Chubu Electric Power’s curling team won the Japan Curling Championships held this February. It was the fifth time they claimed the title after an interval of three years.
  • The average age of the members of this young and new team is 22, and we at Chubu Electric Power are proud of this feat. It is still fresh in our memory how many of our employees and I were cheered up and moved by their winning the championship.
  • Chubu Electric Power’s curling team will compete in a tournament to determine the All-Japan team. The event is to be held in Kitami City, Hokkaido from September 8; exactly 100 days from May 31.
  • The tournament will be a five-game match. The team that wins three games first will be qualified for the PyeongChang Olympics, held in South Korea next February.
  • The training base of Chubu Electric Power’s curling team is in Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture. The men’s curling team SC Karuizawa Club, also based in Karuizawa, qualified for the PyeongChang Olympics at an earlier timing.
  • I have heard that organizations in the local Nagano area established “Curling Supporter’s Club Nagano 2018” in April, which supports SC Karuizawa Club and Chubu Electric Power’s curling team.
  • The warm cheers given by the people concerned, including those of Karuizawa and Nagano, are greatly encouraging for the team members. I would like to take this opportunity to express appreciation for the support.
  • I look forward to seeing Chubu Electric Power team members unite their efforts as challengers and perform to their full potential in the September tournament to determine the All-Japan curling team.

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