Senior executive leaders from the Shikoku Electric Power Co, Inc. met with leaders from USA fleet member Xcel Energy’s Nuclear Department and the Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant to foster a technical exchange relationship, which has been more than 24 years in the making.
Shikoku Electric owns the Ikata Nuclear plant, located in Ikata, Japan, which is also a sister city to Red Wing, Minn. As a means of exchanging technical information related to nuclear power generation, the two organizations have developed and fostered an agreement to share operational and maintenance information. During their visit, they met with Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Tim O’Connor and other nuclear leaders from to discuss the technical exchange program between the Ikata Plant and Prairie Island.
The Japanese visitors’ three-day visit was filled with meetings, discussions of technical information, a tour of the Prairie Island plant. Of importance was the discussion of the Ikata plant’s response to the tsunami and earthquake that caused the Fukushima Daiichi disaster and the efforts underway at Prairie Island to implement the post–Fukushima safety improvements. The Shikoku Electric executives were also interested in the Nuclear Department’s risk assessment activities as they implement strategies to restart one of the three Ikata nuclear reactors shut down following the Fukushima Daiichi disaster more than three years ago.
“Nuclear operations is a world industry, and what one plant does affects everyone else,” said O’Connor. “I agree with the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO) on the value of partnerships between countries and plants offer as a way to exchange best practices and to achieve excellence. I am proud that we have established a partnership with Shikoku Electric. Their three pressurized water reactors are similar to our two Prairie Island units, and their local community is similar to Red Wing. It is our responsibility as nuclear professionals to see top performance achieved. Fukushima was a learning event for all of us, especially with readiness efforts and mitigating strategies. I welcome ideas to improve safety and I know the same holds true for Shikoku Electric. ”
The Shikoku Electric leaders were also interested in Xcel Energy’s interface with community members and the local government to learn about external stakeholder outreach. A luncheon was held with the City of Red Wing mayor, council president and Chamber of Commerce president to highlight the Prairie Island’s partnership and the support provided by its host community of Red Wing, Minn.
Nuclear Power Division Managing Director Kouichi Tamagawa (left) of Shikoku Electric Power Co., Inc. met recently with Xcel Energy’s Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Tim O’Connor (right) and other leaders at the Prairie Island plant as part of a technical exchange program.