Tohoku Electric Submits Improvement Plan over Flawed N-Plant Tests

Aomori, Feb. 18 (Jiji Press)--Tohoku Electric Power Co. on Wednesday submitted a set of corrective measures following the revelation last year of improper performance tests for antiterror equipment at the Higashidori nuclear plant in northeastern Japan.

The testing irregularities at the power station in the village of Higashidori, Aomori Prefecture, resulted from a lack of awareness of the importance of work to protect nuclear materials as well as insufficient involvement by officials from the company's head office and executives at the plant, according to the company.

The list, submitted to the secretariat of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, includes 19 improvement measures, such as systematic employee education on the protection of nuclear materials and regular on-site inspections by head-office employees.

"We will take thorough measures to prevent any recurrence," Tohoku Electric President Kazuhiro Ishiyama said in a meeting with Tomoya Kotani, deputy governor of Aomori, at the prefectural government office, offering an apology for the wrongdoing.

Between fiscal 2013 and fiscal 2024, a total of 21 employees, among other things, created records showing that performance tests had been implemented appropriately for surveillance equipment designed to prevent trespassing on the Higashidori plant's premises although the required number of tests had not been conducted, according to Tohoku Electric.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]