Japan Asks For Assistance with Reactor Events

JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ASKS FOR ASSISTANCE WITH REACTOR EVENTS;
U.S. GOVERNMENT AND NRC PREPARING RESPONSE

The Japanese government has formally asked for assistance from the United States as it continues to respond to nuclear power plant cooling issues triggered by an earthquake and tsunami on March 11. As part of a larger U.S. government response, the NRC is considering possible replies to the request, which includes providing technical advice.

Included in a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) team dispatched earlier to Japan to assist with the disaster are two boiling-water reactor (BWR) experts from the NRC. They are currently in Tokyo offering technical assistance. USAID is the federal government agency primarily responsible for providing help to countries recovering from a disaster.

The NRC has been monitoring the Japanese reactor events via its Headquarters Operations Center in Rockville, Md., on a 24-hour-a-day basis.

The NRC will not comment on hour-to-hour developments at the Japanese reactors. This is an ongoing crisis for the Japanese who have primary responsibility.

ENDS

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