‘Power firms hid 10,000 problems’ : National : DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE (The Daily Yomiuri)

‘Power firms hid 10,000 problems’ 

The Yomiuri Shimbun

Utility firms have concealed problems or altered data at power plants more than 10,000 times, the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan announced Thursday.

Federation Chairman Tsunehisa Katsumata reported the findings of an investigation to a Liberal Democratic Party investigation committee Thursday morning.

Japan Atomic Power Co. and Electric Power Development Co., and 10 electric power companies, including Tokyo Electric Power Co., said in a report handed to the government last Friday that they concealed problems and altered data in 306 cases.

However, the report was found to have counted the same type of irregularity at several companies as one instance, which led to the accuracy of the overall number being questioned.

The federation reexamined the numbers after receiving a request from the LDP to more accurately count the number of irregularities.

According to the new report, there were 450 irregularities at nuclear power plants, 1,200 in thermal power plants and 9,000 in hydroelectric power plants.
(Apr. 6, 2007)

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