Published on Sep.5 ,2013 : The Denki shinbun(The Electric Daily News)
Dr. Michio Ishikawa
Chief Adviser(Former President & CEO of JANTI

The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) and the Japan Atomic Power Company (JAPC) are at odds over the issue on whether the D-1 shatter zone, which runs directly underneath JAPC's Tsuruga Power Station Unit 2, is an active fault or not.

Their confrontation began in May this year when NRA acknowledged the report by its own expert committee stating, after just two days of on-site investigation, that D-1 is an active fault and that it could move together with the Urasoko fault to deal a significant impact on facilities directly above.

Unhappy with the findings, JAPC unsuccessfully appealed to NRA to wait for the outcome of the investigation that was in progress at the time. Extensive drilling surveys, which ended at the end of June this year, subsequently concluded that D-1 was not an active fault. The investigation team reportedly included international experts as well.

According to JAPC, the geologic strata above D-1 are layered with no disruptions, and coated with volcanic ash dating back to some 120,000-130,000 years ago, which is one of the criteria used to determine the inactivity of faults. It was also confirmed that the K fault, which was suspected to be interlocked with the Urasoko fault, does not extend to the direction of the Reactor Buildings. JAPC compiled the findings into a report for a fresh review.

While I am in no position to make a technical judgment on geological issues, JAPC's argument based on its re-investigation sounds straightforward and easy to understand.

Generally speaking, what is straightforward and easy to understand can be trusted. An academic presentation that sounds difficult often lacks substance. A closer examination often reveals inconsistency. The same applies to machines. A propeller aircraft with a complex mechanism is typically much less reliable than a jetliner with a plainer mechanism.

While there is no knowing the rationale behind NRA’s judgment, it was not very well received due perhaps to procedural or judgment process issues. NRA, which professes themselves to be scientific, must reflect upon the matter and initiate a fresh review.

My advice to NRA would be to trust these applicants as partners. It is a common consensus among the nuclear energy industry around the world that NRC's safety regulation approach that puts trust in licensees is attributable to the fact that the capacity factor of U.S. nuclear plants has exceeded 90%.

The difference between police and a nuclear regulatory body is that the former seeks to control those who disrupt public safety, whereas the latter is dealing with mega technology of extreme complexity. To achieve safety assurance, the only approach would be to build a trusting relationship with licensees, which have in-depth technical knowledge.

The Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission criticized the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency for being a "captive of nuclear licensees". To my eyes, it was the nuclear licensees that were a "slave to regulations". Their relationship could be summed up as 100-year-old bureaucratic dependence of electric utilities. Improving this relationship is crucial for this industry of mega technology.

In this sense, I praise JAPC for lodging an appeal against NRA's decision. As far as I know, it was the first refute by an electric utility against a government decision. Let me express my support for this bravery. That's how nuclear licenses should be.

Please do not get me wrong. I am not trying to start a fight. I am just pointing to the importance of acknowledging the change of times. We live in the age of the Internet. What is discussed in an unofficial meeting at a restaurant could rapidly spread. Adhering to the traditional stance of bureaucratic dependence would not get anything going. That is how things are in today's world.

Electric utilities must face bureaucrats without feeling awkward, as they protest against unreasonable judgments and voice their opinions on the equal standpoint as bureaucrats. JAPC has taken the lead. I hope many more will follow suit.

Whether NRA would dance to JAPC's dance of protest determines the direction of our future regulatory path. It is not just electric utilities that need to pull themselves away from the 100-year-old dependence.

Assumedly inspired by JAPC's courage, many younger nuclear personnel are starting to many younger nuclear personnel are starting to campaign toward frankly conveying nuclear energy's necessity and actual level of safety to the general public, and revising safety regulations that have become nothing more than a formality, so as to contribute to the restoration of Fukushima and the future development of our nation.

This can be described as a campaign of national salvation, initiated by young people who have a sense of crisis about the current status, rather than something orchestrated by nuclear corporations. It is to be formally launched in autumn. Needless to say, I will be taking part.

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