#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: The Numbers Don't Add Up

Among many numbers that don't seem to add up that TEPCO and the national government have announced ever since the plant accident, I just noticed the most glaring one: the number of workers at the plant.

Currently, there are supposedly about 500 or so workers from TEPCO, TEPCO's affiliated companies (Toshiba, Hitachi who built reactors, Kandenko whose largest shareholder is TEPCO, etc.) and their subcontractors to the 3rd or 4th degree at Fukushima I Nuke Plant trying to somehow control the reactors, Spent Fuel Pools, contaminated water. The plant is still in crisis, nothing has materially changed.

But the plant, in peacetime, had 4,000 to 5,000 workers. There were 5,000 workers at Fukushima I, including affiliated company employees and subcontractors, when the earthquake hit on March 11.

Now, even in peacetime, it takes 5,000 workers to run the plant. And in crisis, you have only 500 workers?

One of the most glaring omissions in TEPCO's "roadmap" was any mention of manpower. Another one is the cost. Another one is the relationship of the dependent projects. At this point, TEPCO doesn't quite think about cost cutting.

I thought the critical thing is to somehow lower the radiation level so that the workers can go in, but maybe I was wrong. The most critical thing may be to secure the workers who can go in.

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