Japan planned review of tsunami risk, but too late

TEPCO was planning a reassessment of tsunami risks just before last year`s tsunami devastated its Fukushima Dai-ichi plant.

Tokyo: A Tokyo Electric Power Co briefing paper indicates that the utility was planning a reassessment of tsunami risks just before last year`s tsunami devastated its Fukushima Dai-ichi plant.

TEPCO presented the paper to Japan`s nuclear regulators on March 07, 2011, four days before the tsunami. It promised a new risk assessment by last October.

The paper summarised recent studies that suggested a tsunami as high as 33 feet (10 meters) might hit the plant. That was higher than the 20-foot (six-meter) surge it had been designed to withstand.
A news agency obtained the three-page document through a public records request to Japan`s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency.

Bureau Report