Gov't says no problem with eroded pipe

Gov't says no problem with eroded pipe at Fukushima nuclear plant

FUKUSHIMA, Japan, Oct. 7 - Oct 7 (The Associated Press)

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said Thursday it saw no safety problem with water piping at a reactor of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, dismissing concerns that it may have been eroded beyond safety levels.

The agency told the Fukushima prefectural government that it has concluded that there is no safety problem and has given approval for Tokyo Electric Power Co. to continue operations of the No. 5 reactor at the power station.

The prefectural government said Wednesday it consulted the agency for its opinion as projections based on inspections last year showed the pipe at the reactor may now be at least 0.1 millimeter thinner than required.

Municipalities have become more sensitive to the safety of nuclear reactors after a fatal accident in August at the Mihama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture.

In that accident, a badly corroded coolant pipe ruptured, spilling out superheated steam that killed four workers and injured seven others, one of whom later died.

The agency, which is under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, cited as reasons for its conclusion that there is "no safety problem as long as the pipe thickness meets the standard in regular checks," and "the steam flowing through the pipe is at low temperature and the internal pressure is also low."

The required thickness of the pipe is 3.8 mm. It was 4.3 mm thick when it was checked last year and was diagnosed as having a remaining service life of about 10 months. The prefectural government believes the pipe may have been eroded to 3.7 mm or less.

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