NRC's Jaczko Gives Blessings to "Cold Shutdown State" and "Completion of Step 2" at #Fukushima I Nuke Plant, Says "Tremendous Milestone"

As reported in NHK Japanese (12/20/2011):

日本を訪れているアメリカ原子力規制委員会のヤツコ委員長は、福島第一原子力発電所を事故後初めて視察したあと、都内で記者会見し、日本政府が「冷温停止状態」になったと発表したことについて、適切な判断だと評価したうえで、再発防止に向けて今回の事故を巡る国際的な情報の共有が重要だとの考えを示しました。

Chairman Jaczko of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission visited Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant for the first time since the accident started, and gave a press conference afterwards in Tokyo. He said the announcement of "a cold shutdown state" by the Japanese government was a proper decision and that it would be important to share the information regarding the accident with the international communities to prevent similar accidents from happening again.

アメリカの原子力発電所の規制・監督を担う原子力規制委員会のトップを務めるヤツコ委員長は、１９日、事故後初めて福島第一原発を視察し、２０日午後、都内のアメリカ大使館で記者会見しました。

Chairman Jaczko of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission visited Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant on December 19 for the fist time since the accident started, and held a press conference in the afternoon of December 20 at the US Embassy in Tokyo.

この中でヤツコ委員長は、福島第一原発では、事故後、不測の事態に備えた様々な対策が取られたと指摘したうえで、「原子炉内の温度は十分に下がった」と述べ、日本政府が「冷温停止状態」になり、事故の収束に向けた工程表の「ステップ２」の完了を宣言したことを適切な判断だと評価しました。

In the press conference, Chairman Jaczko pointed out to the various countermeasures against contingencies have been installed at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant after the accident, and said "The temperatures inside the reactors have gone down enough", indicating the declaration by the Japanese government of "a cold shutdown state" and the completion of the "Step 2" of the roadmap toward the restoration from the accident was a proper decision.

また、ヤツコ委員長は、原発の安全対策を巡る日米の協力関係について、「今回の事故によって、両国の協力関係はさらに強固なものになった」と指摘したうえで、「事故の情報共有をどのように進めていくか、国際社会が大きな関心を寄せている」と述べ、今回の事故を巡る国際的な情報の共有が重要だとの考えを示しました。

He then referred to the Japan-US cooperation regarding the safety countermeasures for nuclear power plants, and said "Because of the [Fukushima] accident, our relationship has gotten stronger". He also said "The international communities are very interested in how the accident information will be shared", indicating the importance of international information sharing of the accident.

And here's one from Bloomberg (12/20/2011):

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko said he’s satisfied with Tokyo Electric Power Co. (9501)’s efforts to end the crisis at the wrecked Fukushima atomic plant.

The melted fuel in the reactors at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant has cooled enough to prevent any further releases of radiation beyond the station, Jaczko told reporters today in Tokyo after a visit to the station.

He spoke four days after Japanese officials declared that the reactors, which were damaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, have been brought to a state known as cold shutdown. Some nuclear scientists disputed that the term accurately described conditions at the plant. Jaczko called the declaration a “tremendous milestone.”

“I feel very comfortable that they have completed really the requirements that are necessary to move on to the next stage,” he said. “There’s really no energy left in the reactor to have an off-site release of radiation.”

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