NRC's Greg Jaczko To Visit Fukushima In Time For Declaration of Successful "Completion" of Step 2

of the TEPCO/Japanese government roadmap. Chairman Jaczko will be there to give blessings to the declaration of "cold shutdown" of the broken reactors at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.

The farce continues.

From NHK News (12/8/2011):

国と東京電力が福島第一原子力発電所について、今月中旬にも原子炉の温度が安定して１００度以下となる「冷温停止」状態を実現したと発表するのに合わせて、アメリカの原子力規制委員会のヤツコ委員長が日本を訪問し、事故後初めて、福島第一原発を視察する方向で調整していることが明らかになりました。

It has been disclosed that the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission chair Gregory Jaczko may visit Japan and tour Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant for the first time since the accident in mid December, when the Japanese government and TEPCO are scheduled to announce the achievement of "cold shutdown" whereby the temperatures of the reactors remain steadily below 100 degrees Celsius.

関係者によりますと、ヤツコ委員長は、日本政府と東京電力が今月中旬にも福島第一原子力発電所の冷温停止状態を実現したと発表し、事故収束に向けた工程表の「ステップ２」を終了するのに合わせて、１８日ごろから日本を訪問する方向で調整しているということです。

According to the sources, Chairman Jaczko is scheduled to visit Japan from December 18, around the time the Japanese government and TEPCO are set to announce that the "cold shutdown" has been achieved at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant and that "Step 2" of the roadmap toward winding down the accident has been achieved.

訪日中には、福島第一原発を事故後初めて視察し、現状を確認したり、担当者から話を聞いたりするほか、日本政府の高官らと会談することにしています。アメリカ原子力規制委員会は東日本大震災発生後、常時、支援に当たる専門家チームを派遣してきましたが、「ステップ２」以降の課題として、原子炉内の状況をさらに正確に把握する方法や、残された燃料をどのように安全に取り出すのかなどについて日本側の方針を聞き、アメリカとしてさらに何らかの支援ができないか話し合う予定です。

During the visit, Chairman Jaczko will visit the plant for the first time since the accident to survey the current condition and speak with the plant people. He will also meet with high ranking officials of the government. The US NRC sent a team of experts to provide constant support after the March 11 disaster, and the chairman will discuss with the Japanese officials about the tasks beyond "Step 2", which includes more accurate assessment of the condition inside the reactor and the safe removal of remaining fuel, and see if the US could help Japan in some way.

また、原子力規制委員会は事故直後の状況について、より詳細な情報が知りたいとしており、日本側に対し、さらなる情報の開示を求めるものとみられます。

It is said that the NRC wants to have more detailed information on the condition right after the accident started, and is likely ask Japan for more information disclosure.

Even after Fukushima, Chairman Jaczko seems to think there's no need to change anything in the US, as the event like Fukushima will be so rare.

I guess he hasn't heard of the chaos theory or a black swan event. Nor was he aware that a black swan event, or a fat-tail event, or five sigma event, did happen in 2008, bringing down the global financial system. Another five sigma is looming in Europe.

Or simply an old adage, "When it rains it pours."

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