New Delhi, March 14: General Electric chief executive Jeffrey “Jeff” Immelt Monday said it was too early to evaluate the impact of the earthquake and tsunami on nuclear energy installations in Japan, while announcing a $5 million relief to the country.
“It’s too early,” Immelt, on a visit here, said at an interaction with journalists. “Our first priority is to support the government and the people of Japan,” said Immelt, adding the company was offering both monetary and technical assistance to Japan.
Immelt’s visit comes at a ticklish time when New Delhi has expressed eagerness to source more reactors from the American company and others, even as Japan is battling the fallout of Friday’s 9-magnitude earthquake and resultant tsunami, which Tokyo calls its worst crisis since World War II.
GE’s customers in Japan include Tokyo Electric Power, some of whose nuclear facilities are facing a crisis of sorts after the natural disaster. Hitachi has been GE’s partner in the atomic energy business since 2007.
Another explosion was reported at a nuclear reactor Monday in the city of Fukushima, 240 km north of Tokyo, injuring at least 11 people. The city is home to 10 reactors at two power plants.
The first explosion was Saturday at one of the reactors there after the earthquake and the resultant tsunami. The second Monday occurred after a magnitude-6.2 aftershock Monday.
-Agencies