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Comments about Suspension of Operation of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station of Chubu Electric Power Company

May  9,  2011
Makoto Yagi, FEPC Chairman

 On May 9, 2011, Chubu Electric Power Company took the decision to suspend operation of all the reactors at Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station, in response to the request made by Prime Minister Naoto Kan on May 6.

 

 On May 6, the Japanese Government announced the results of their assessment of Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station, namely that “Urgent Safety Measures” have already been or will be appropriately implemented and would enable the station to maintain the reactor cores in a controlled state by continuously injecting cooling water, thus preventing failures such as core damage, even if the plants should suffer a station blackout by a tsunami equivalent to the one that hit the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. We therefore request the Japanese Government to sufficiently explain not only to Chubu Electric Power Company, but also to the Japanese public, including those living near nuclear power plants, how and why the Prime Minister decided that the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Station must suspend operation.

 

 Nuclear power generation is and will continue to be a crucial source of electricity for Japan, a resource-poor country, in order to secure a stable supply of energy. Especially in the summer when electricity demand reaches the peak, nuclear power will have a significant role to play.

 

 The electric utility industry is fully committed to enabling the exchange of electric power and taking other measures in close cooperation to ensure a stable power supply for our customers. However, we are concerned that, due to damage to many power plants by the Great East Japan Earthquake and uncertainty about when nuclear plants currently undergoing planned outages for inspections can receive approval to restart, there may be a national shortage of electricity and difficulties in procuring enough fuel for thermal power generation.

 

 Each electric power company will make utmost efforts for its customers and those living near nuclear power plants to help them understand the status of implementing the “Urgent Safety Measures” considered to be appropriate by the Japanese Government, and other measures to ensure safety of the plants. In parallel, we expect the Government to take responsibility for explaining the decision it has taken to the Japanese public including those living near the nuclear power stations.

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