Press Release
Regarding the Notification of Modifications to the Application for Confirmation of External Disposal of Returned Vitrified Waste
August 12, 2014
Chubu Electric Power Co.,Inc.
Chubu Electric Power Company (Chubu Electric) filed an application in January to the government for the confirmation of the external disposal of a total of 28 canisters of vitrified waste (imported waste) returned from overseas, planned for transportation to the waste management facilities of Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited in Rokkasho-mura, Aomori Prefecture, in FY2014, and in accordance with the Act on the Regulation of Nuclear Source Material, Nuclear Fuel Material and Reactors. (Reported January 07, 2014)
Thereafter, including the 28 canisters from Chubu Electric, a total of 132 canisters of returned vitrified waste from five electric power companies were transported to the waste management facilities of Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited. Upon conducting the acceptance inspection under the government's witness, the calorific value measurements of one canister of vitrified waste from Shikoku Electric Power Company (Shikoku Electric), showed a low value, even accounting for error, when compared to values calculated based on production data of the UK operator (Sellafield Ltd) where the vitrified waste was produced.
In further research, it was also confirmed that a similar situation was seen for three other vitrified waste canisters.
In response to this matter, Chubu Electric conducted a field survey of the UK operator along with Shikoku Electric and Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited. This survey revealed that the radioactive concentration, impacting the calorific value, was low compared to production data for five canisters of vitrified waste (including one from Chubu Electric on top of four from Shikoku Electric) produced during a specific time and at a specific manufacturing facility.
Viewing the survey results, Chubu Electric determined that the radioactivity concentration and calorific value of a single canister of the vitrified waste must be modified for the application for confirmation of external disposal of returned vitrified waste filed in January. This announcement is a notification that today we notified the government on modifications to the application for confirmation of external disposal of returned vitrified waste.
It should be noted that the calorific values both prior to and following modifications are sufficiently low compared to the acceptance criteria of the Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited facility, and there are no problems with safety.