1. 1 Crisis communications: Lessons from „the learning curve” How Could We Have Done It Better? Communication of an Incident by Ágota Hanti Deputy Spokesperson of Paks NPP, Hungary 10 February, 2004

2. 2 Antecedents On 10 April, 2003 Serious incident in a cleaning pool in a pit in the reactor hall of Unit 2 at Paks Nuclear Power Plant. The incident resulted in a hardly detectable, low discharge, but without exceeding the limit value. And it resulted many other things…

3. 3 The series of eventsThe communication of events Communication of an incident 10/04/2003: around 10 pm: radioactive gas discharge from the cleaning system. The works were stopped. Classed 2 on INES scale (approved by HAEA). 11/04/2003: around 10 am: Countrywide press release on the incident (brief facts). Collective SMS to the regional mayors (72) 14.30: Another press release on the classification on INES scale. The incident is hot news.

4. 4 The series of eventsThe communication of events 16/04/2003: Removal of the cover of the tank, new infromations on the fuel assemblies (30 pieces, suffered severe damage). The incident reclassified into class 3 due to the latest facts. Global 2000: background radiation measurements 17/04/2003: Press release on the reclassifying. Intensive media reaction, continuous asking for interviews. 18/04/2003: Greenpeace demand accurate data in the media. Communication of an incident

5. 5 The series of eventsThe communication of events 22/04/2003: Press conference in the reactor hall in the precence of journalists. 23/04/2003: Attack of the government for the inadequate communication. 19/04/2003: The economic loss of the company is approx. €200 000 per day. 23/04/2003: The emergency plan of the national electric grid control organistation to sustain the safe energy supply. Communication of an incident

6. 6 Press conference in the reactor hall Communication of an incident

7. 7 Press conference Communication of an incident

8. 8 The series of eventsThe communication of events 01/05/2003: Greenpeace and Austrian social democrats want international investigation. 30/04/2003: The chief director of Paks and the director general of the HAEA in front of the Environmental Committee of the Parliament. 01/05/2003: Visit of the minister of economics at the plant. Communication of an incident

9. 9 The ministers of economics and environment with the chief director Communication of an incident

10. 10 The series of eventsThe communication of events 06/05/2003: Appearance of the event in a daily paper (the plant did not informed anybody before the first article). 07/05/2003: The prime minister request urgent information. The higher radioactivity ascribed to the fault of the measurement. 03/05/2003: Gas production in the damaged tank due to breach of rules. 07/05/2003: Higher radioctivity in the background at one of the detectors. Communication of an incident

11. 11 The series of eventsThe communication of events 10/05/2003: A full page paid informative material published in the top papers (incident in details). 11/05/2003: The company’s own report. 12/05/2003: Daily press conference (two locations) 09/05/2003: Ministerial officer for more effective co-operation. Communication of an incident

12. 12 The commission of the ministerial officer Communication of an incident

13. 13 The series of eventsThe communication of events 19/05/2003: An article in an austrian tabloid about illegal operating. It came in light that the higher radioactivity was not the fault of the instrument (isotope test). 13/05/2003: Greenpeace demonstration against licence renewal. 14/05/2003: The Environmental Committee of the Parliament in Paks. 19/05/2003: Higher radioctivity in the background at one of the detectors again. Communication of an incident

14. 14 The series of eventsThe communication of events 28/05/2003: SMS rumour about the explosion of a unit. 30/05/2003: Report of the HAEA, the responsibility of the plant. 06/06/2003: First press release of the owners. 21/05/2003: Personal changes, Recovery Project. 22/05/2003: Request of the IAEA for independent investigation. Communication of an incident

15. 15 The series of eventsThe communication of events 10/06/2003: Public opinion pool, the acceptance is the same, some trust lost in the safe of the plant. 12/06/2003: Greenpeace activists, need of the police because of the damages. 14/06/2003: The steps of the recovery sketched for the press. 14/06/2003: First underwater videos, all the fuel assemblies damaged. 19/06/2003: The IAEA starts its investigation. Communication of an incident

16. 16 Public opinion pool Do you agree that there is a nuclear power plant operating in Hungary?

17. 17 The severity of the safety regulation at Paks NPP Public opinion pool

18. 18 The series of eventsThe communication of events 25/06/2003: Report of the IAEA, the responsibility of the company and the authority also. 26/11/2003: Final, 50 th press conference (CAD model). 01/07/2003: Two offers for the recovery work, the russian fuel assembly manufacturer win. 11/09/2003: Parlamentary investigation committee (adequcy of communication also). Two months later: no agreement on the report. Communication of an incident

19. 19 Parlamentary investigation committee Communication of an incident

20. 20 Final, 50 th press conference Communication of an incident

21. 21 Summation The series of eventsThe communication of events Re-classification Gas production in the tank Higher radioactivity at a detector Keeping all the regulations SMS to the mayors Daily press conference (50 total) Each material on the Internet Follow up communication Deffensive Not accurate, definite, proactive enough

22. 22 How Could We Have Done It Better?