Tokyo Electric Power Company held its “Company-Wide Technical Skill Competition” for the second time ever on April 23, 2009, with activities for the Nuclear Operating Division taking place at the BTC Fukushima Training Center.  Using BTC simulator 2 (BWR-5) and simulator 3 (BWR-4), scenarios carried out assumed an abnormal event including the combination of earthquake-related plant equipment failures in addition to standard plant equipment breakdowns. Teams were assessed on their quick initial responsiveness to various items ranging from identifying and locating the plant malfunctions to reporting the plant condition to the appropriate authorities.
　　　A total of three teams participated in the competition including one team each from Fukushima Daiichi, Fukushima Daini, and Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plants. During competition, teams were also evaluated on accurately investigating and reporting the cause of the failure and declaring if conditions are in violation of LCO (limiting conditions of operation) determined by safety regulations when dealing with  an assumed primary containment isolation valve failure.  Events included in the competition scenarios such as an earthquake occurring during the isolation valve repair and the resulting opening of a safety relief valve and electrical transformer fire- were all events that were experienced by the Kashiwazaki Kariwa NPP during the Chuetsu Oki Earthquake.
　　　Under direction of the shift team supervisor, operators dealt with unexpected plant troubles such as earthquakes and aftershocks smoothly and calmly.
　　　BTC instructors- using the experience fostered from team assessment- also took part in giving the final judgment of the participant teams.  The winner, displaying the greatest technical skill was the team from Kashiwazaki Kariwa.  Congratulations!