Safety Countermeasure of Onagawa NPS after the Great East-Japan Earthquake, and the current situation of nuclear power in Japan

SPEAKER:
AKIYOSHI OBONAI

TOHOKU ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY

DATE/TIME:
MON, 11/14/2014 – 4:00PM TO 5:00PM
LOCATION:
180 DOE LIBRARY
Fall 2014 Colloquium Series
Abstract:

On, March 11, a massive earthquake occurred at 2:46 p.m. Japan standard time, and the epicenter was about 130km off the Pacific Ocean from the Oshika peninsula where Onagawa NPS is located.

First, I would like to talk about what happened at Onagawa Nuclear Power Station (NPS), and how we managed the plant in order to reach a cold shut down.

Next I would like to talk about the safety countermeasure after 3/11, learning the lesson from Onagawa and Fukushima. We conducted the detailed evaluation of 3/11/’11 earthquakes and tsunamis. Based on this evaluation, we have been conducting further seismic reinforcement and constructing high levee (about 29m above sea level).  In addition, we are making safety upgrades for severe accident, i.e. Filtered Containment Vessel System, and alternative decay heat removable system.

Finally, I would like to talk about the current situation of nuclear power in Japan. For example, government policy, people’s attitude toward nuclear power, and the circumstance for restarting nuclear power station.

About the Speaker:

Akiyoshi Obonai received his masters in Nuclear Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1994.  He currently works for the Tohuko Electric Power Company in reactor operation, reactor safety analysis and nuclear fuel management.  He is certified by the Japanese government as a Chief Nuclear Reactor Engineer and Chief Electrical Engineer.