Visiting Lecture at Koriyama City Tomita Junior High School (Nov. 25, 2015)
—Introduction of Robots for Decommissioning—

On November 25, 2015, IRID member Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. participated and cooperated as an external lecturer, together with Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated (TEPCO), at an open class “Think the Reconstruction of Fukushima” held by Koriyama City Tomita Junior High School located in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture.
It is the first time that IRID demonstrated the robot for nuclear-decommissioning in a school class.

Time and Date: Wednesday, November 25, 2015, 13:35-15:00
Place: Koriyama City Tomita Junior High School
Open Class Title: “Think the Reconstruction of Fukushima”

※The school is one of those that gives classes in cooperate with the project for radiation education promotion and support implemented by the Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education. As part of the efforts this class was held to encourage students who are future generation to think about the reconstruction, through the learning of efforts for decommissioning the Fukushima Daiichi.

On the day, the class was conducted for about 30 students in their second year of junior high school.
Firstly, Mr. Sonobe, a teacher in charge, reported the situation and current conditions when he visited the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).
Then, Mr. Aoki from TEPCO (Fukushima Revitalization Headquarters) used the one-thousandth model of the Fukushima Daiichi NPS to explain the situation at the Fukushima accident occurred and the current situation toward the reconstruction of Fukushima. Workers who actually work in the Fukushima site also appeared and talked about their work and passion. The students experienced wearing a full-face protective mask and a coverall.
Mr. Yutaka Kometani from the Nuclear Equipment Design Department of Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd demonstrated the shape-changing robot (prototype) that investigated inside the primary containment vessel in the Fukushima Daiichi NPS Unit 1 and explained the background of and difficulties involved in developing the robot for nuclear decommissioning, its usefulness, etc. Students asked questions in advance, including: Up to what level of radiation can the robot withstand? What kind of study should I do to become a robot developer?
In the last part of the class, the students divided into five groups and discussed what they could do for the reconstruction of Fukushima. Then, they ended the class by presenting a summary of their opinions.

After the class, IRID received a comment from one of the students: I have learned that more than a half of workers engaged in the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi are those from Fukushima Prefecture. Also, I understand that the reconstruction of Fukushima has been progressing, as exemplified by the development of robot working in places where people cannot access.

This kind of class for the future generation can lead to prospective career education.
IRID is determined to continuously contribute to human resource development by the introducing its R&D results etc. to people.

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