Japan's Nuclear Regulatory Authority: Higashidori Nuke Plant in Aomori May Have Active Faults, Restart Doubtful

While the nation is engrossed with the upcoming Lower House election on December 16, the much-maligned Nuclear Regulatory Authority goes out and does one field survey after another at the nuclear power plant sites. It has just declared the fractured zones underneath the reactor at Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant as "active faults", indicating it won't even conduct the safety inspection for the restart.

Now, after spending two days in Higashidori Nuclear Power Plant in Aomori, the same group of researchers headed by Dr. Shimazaki, deputy chairman of NRA says it is likely that the faults that run through the plant compound are active faults that moved as recently as less than 100,000 years ago. Just like in the case of Tsuruga Nuke Plant, all 5 experts agreed.

Go go, Nuclear Regulatory Authority's geologists and seismologists, before LDP shuts you down.

From Kahoku Shinpo (12/15/2012):

東通「活断層の可能性」再稼働困難になる恐れ　規制委調査

NRA's investigation on Higashidori "Active faults possible", restart may be difficult

　東北電力東通原発（青森県東通村）敷地内の断層について、原子力規制委員会の現地調査団は１４日、２日間の調査を終えた。調査団長の島崎邦彦委員長代理は一部の断層について「１０万年前以降に再活動した可能性がある」との見解を示した。調査団５人全員が活断層の可能性を指摘した。

On December 14, the field survey team of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority concluded the two-day investigation of the faults in the compound of Higashidori Nuke Plant operated by Tohoku Electric Power Company (Higashidori-mura, Aomori Prefecture). The team leader Dr. Kunihiko Shimazaki, NRA's deputy chairman, said that some of the faults "may have been active as recent as less than 100,000 years ago." All five members of the team pointed out to the possibility of active faults.

　調査結果は２０日に東京で開く評価会合で議論される。東北電が原子炉の耐震性の見直しを迫られ、再稼働が困難になる恐れが出てきた。

The results will be discussed in the meeting in Tokyo on December 20. Tohoku Electric may be forced to review its seismic assessment of the nuclear reactors, and the restart of the plant may become difficult.

　調査団は、原子炉の西側を南北に走る「Ｆ－３」と「Ｆ－９」の２本の断層について、付近の試掘溝（トレンチ）内に入り、断層周辺のたわみの地質的な組成などを詳しく調べた。東北電が国に提出した原子炉設置許可申請書などの資料も、専門的に検討した。

For the two faults, "F-3" and "F-9" that run north-south on the west side of the reactors, the survey team went in the trench to closely examine the geological features around the faults. The researchers also studied the documents that Tohoku Electric had submitted, including the application for permission to install nuclear reactor.

　国が定めた原発の耐震設計上の基準では、１２万～１３万年前以降の敷地内の活断層を考慮しなければならない。島崎委員長代理は「Ｆ－３」「Ｆ－９」断層が１０万年より最近に動いた可能性を挙げ「それを踏まえれば、周辺の小断層ｓ－１４とｓ－１９などの地層の形状変化に説明がつく」と述べた。

According to the seismic design standard set by the national government, an active fault inside the compound that is newer than 120,000 to 130,000 years ago has to be considered. Deputy Chairman Shimazaki raised the possibility that "F-3" and "F-9" faults moved more recently than 100,000 years ago, and said "If we consider that possibility, it explains the change in strata such as small faults nearby like "s-14" and "s-19".

　島崎委員長代理は、２０日の評価会合について「基本的に、これらが『活断層ではない』と言えるのかどうかが論点になるだろう」と話した。

Deputy Chairman Shimazaki said of the December 20 meeting, "Basically, the point of discussion will be whether we can say these "are not active faults" or not."

　東北電の梅田健夫副社長は「先生方の見解もあるだろうが、２０日の評価会で私どもの考え方を話したい」と発言。同社側は耐震性を見直す必要のある活断層はない、との見解を重ねて強調した。

Vice President of Tohoku Electric Takeo Umeda said, "Scholars may have their own opinions, but we have ours and we will talk about them in the December 20 meeting." He emphasized again the company's view that there is no active fault that would necessitate the review of seismic design.

Thanks to Dr. Shimazaki, I now fully understand the position of Tohoku Electric, or any nuclear power plant operator. Tohoku Electric does not see any active fault because that's not what they are looking for. They are looking for confirmation that there is no active fault, and as long as there is no such confirmation they can keep looking. To keep on looking is as good as no fault.

This is what Dr. Shimazaki said in the press conference on December 10 when he announced the active faults in Tsuruga Nuke Plant:

After all, the plant operator is in a very delicate position, particularly those who actually do the investigation may be placed in a very delicate position, I suspect. Basically, [the operator] continues the investigation in order to prove that it is not an active fault, and as long as it cannot prove that it has to continue the investigation, so to speak. That is a totally different position than ours.

Aomori Prefecture is conservative. I don't know about long time ago, but ever since the nuclear facilities have started to be built in the prefecture - Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant, Higashidori Nuke Plant, Ooma Nuke Plant - the prefecture heavily depends on government special subsidies and special taxes it can assess these nuclear operators. The plant operators also give generous "gifts" to the municipalities where the plants are located. It will vote LDP in the coming election, according to press reports, maybe in all 4 districts.

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