IAEA Experts Conclude Japan's Decontamination Efforts Going Well
October 14, 2011
Industry/Regulatory/Political Issues
- A visiting IAEA team of international radiation experts has submitted a report to Japan’s Environment Minister Goshi Hosono that generally commends the central and local governments for their decontamination efforts in areas surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi facility. The report advises the government to “avoid over-conservatism” in its remediation efforts and instead to “focus on those activities that bring best results in reducing radiation doses to the public.” The team also encourages authorities to clearly signpost areas under evacuation orders.
Plant Status
- Tokyo Electric Power Co. conducted a drill at the Fukushima Daiichi facility Wednesday to determine if the plant could successfully recover from a magnitude 8 earthquake. TEPCO says the results of the exercise confirm that operators can restore water injection to reactors 1 through 3 within three hours of a disruption.
Media Highlights
- An article by Bloomberg Businessweek notes that large companies with expertise in nuclear decontamination are bidding for up to $14 billion in radiation remediation contracts in and around Fukushima prefecture.
- South Carolina’s Independent Mail reported on how the Fukushima earthquake has informed inspection steps taken by Duke Energy, the operator of the Oconee nuclear facility in South Carolina, after the Aug. 23 earthquake in the eastern United States.
- Reuters reports that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission will delay certification of GE Hitachi’s ESBWR reactor design by about six months because of the agency’s response to the Fukushima accident.
Upcoming Events
- NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko will speak on lessons learned from Fukushima Oct. 24 at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, D.C. Details are on the AAAS website.
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