Gov't Displeased With TEPCO's Flip - Flop on Seawater Injection
Kamis, 26 Mei 2011 by Android Blackberry
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| Flip-Flop on Seawater Injection |
‘‘If the facts aren't accurately reported, we'll be struggling as to tips on how to respond for the situation. Far more than anything, the public will turn out to be doubtful’’ regarding the facts released subsequently, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told a news conference.
Edano made the comments immediately after TEPCO said earlier in the day that water continued to become injected into the No. 1 reactor on March 12, retracting its earlier announcement that it had temporarily suspended water injection on that day.
TEPCO’s initial statement that the injection of seawater was suspended on the day immediately after the twin disasters hit the complex added for the criticism of Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s handling of the country’s worst nuclear crisis.
TEPCO mentioned it discovered out that the head with the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear energy plant had gone ahead in continuing seawater injection into the No. 1 reactor despite a selection by its operator to suspend the function.
TEPCO had stated it started injecting seawater to cool nuclear fuel inside the reactor on the evening of March 12, a single day following the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, but suspended the operate 21 minutes later ahead of resuming it another 55 minutes afterward.
A crisis management office consisting of government and TEPCO officials had said that the initial injection was suspended right after the prime minister’s workplace conveyed its concern. The work was resumed immediately after Kan gave a directive for the seawater injection, the office stated.
TEPCO stated the latest locating came to light through its questioning of plant chief Masao Yoshida amongst Tuesday and Wednesday.
‘‘I made the decision to report the details because of a probe carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency and since numerous international appraisals are forthcoming,’’ Yoshida was quoted by a TEPCO official as telling the company.
TEPCO is thinking of some kind of action against Yoshida, said Sakae Muto, the company’s vice president, at a news conference.
Seawater injection was deemed as important to cool nuclear fuel within the reactor just after the injection of fresh water stopped inside the aftermath with the quake and tsunami, which knocked out key cooling systems at the plant.
TEPCO had stated the injection was suspended temporarily because the prime minister’s workplace raised the concern that seawater injection could cause fuel rods to resume fission, a phenomenon otherwise referred to as ‘‘recriticality.
