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Strontium Found In Groundwater Near Unit 2 Turbine Building

June 19th, 2013 | Add a Comment

[Translate] Reuters is reporting that strontium 90 has been found in groundwater near the unit 2 turbine building.   This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome the sharing of information or promoting our work, please do so with respect to the large amount of effort and time that goes into our research and analysis. Referring to something or a quote is great, copying it all or in substantial parts is not so great. If you wish to reproduce any of our content in full or in more than a phrase or quote, please contact us … Read entire article »

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TEPCO Caught Manipulating Data Again

[Translate] These two versions of a radiation map by TEPCO were found with some huge differences. The Japanese map shows considerably higher radiation levels near the reactors where the English version shows much lower levels. TEPCO scaled back their English reporting in recent months. Many critical documents are never translated, while the minutia of the leaking ponds is released in English daily. The Japanese radiation map shows quite high 4 digit readings while the English version that uses the same reading brackets shows 3 digit readings. Japanese map http://www.tepco.co.jp/nu/fukushima-np/f1/images/f1-sv2-20130521-j.pdf English map http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/f1/images/f1-sv2-20130521-e.pdf Archive versions saved 6.18.2013 radmap_EN_f1-sv2-20130521-e radmap_JP_f1-sv2-20130521-j This is far from the first time TEPCO has been caught manipulating information. There have been numerous problems with omissions or not reporting of events and work … Read entire article »

Fukushima News Roundup June 18, 2013

[Translate] The NRA has announced that they do not consider quake damage to be the cause of the isolation condenser failure at unit 1. Inspectors were only able to look at the systems for the condensers that are outside containment. Pipes and valves also run inside the containment structure, those were not able to be inspected. This work did not look at potential quake damage to other systems from the accident TEPCO’s employees are fleeing the company. Mostly younger workers are leaving with many citing the wage cuts as a considerable reason. Those who are leaving may be finding new jobs in the renewable energy sector in Japan that is in need of workers as it expands. TEPCO … Read entire article »

Why Is KEPCO Getting A Free Pass From The NRA?

[Translate] Japan’s KEPCO power company, owners of the Oi nuclear plant and also Mihama and Takahama nuclear plants seems to be getting some preferential treatment from the country’s nuclear regulator. Oi had already been the only operating nuclear plant in the country when it was allowed to restart units 3 and 4 amid massive public protests in 2012. The claim at the time was the dire need for power over the summer. KEPCO insisted there would be blackouts in Osaka if they couldn’t restart these reactors. Many studies doubted that claim. After KEPCO restarted the units at Oi, they shut down 9 thermal plants raising even more doubts about their claims. The issue appears to be more … Read entire article »

Japan Govt. Secretly Backtracks On Decontamination Efforts

[Translate] While the Abe government has announce they will accelerate decontamination efforts Asahi Shimbun has found out that the opposite is actually happening. In communications with local governments backtracking on decontamination efforts began this spring. Areas that did not reduce to 1 mSv/year after decontamination will not be allowed a second attempt. Areas that were decontaminated but re-contaminate due to snow runoff or wind etc. will not be allowed a second attempt. Only about 1% of the homes in Iitate Village have been decontaminated. The estimates for completion of decontamination work are being extended without new completion dates. The Environment Ministry in charge of the work refused to make any drastic reviews of the effort until after the July Diet elections.   Read … Read entire article »

Fukushima News Roundup; June 14, 2013

[Translate] Researchers found that rockfish near Fukushima Daiichi were highly contaminated during the early months after the disaster. By looking at the “ear stone” the fish use for balance and were able to determine when they received the bulk of their contamination. This may help understand how rockfish in the region have managed to be extremely high, it is not clear how this translates to other fish species. The idea of testing the ear stone (otolith) from fish to track their contamination history is so far a unique tactic but one that could give better insight to how various species in the region were contaminated and how effective they are in shedding that contamination. The Fisheries Agency also … Read entire article »

TVA Shuts Down Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Project

[Translate] Another nuclear plant has bit the dust. The troubled Bellefonte nuclear plant in Alabama has ceased work to complete the first two units. This facility has had a long odd history with work on the first two units being terminated in the 1980′s. Parts were scavenged out of the two partially completed reactors then efforts to finish the units was restarted in recent years. TVA cited government budget cuts and the lack of demand for nuclear power as factors in their decision to end the project. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific … Read entire article »

Fukushima Reconstruction Official Lashes Out At People In Fukushima

[Translate] An official from the Reconstruction Office charged with rebuilding the damaged regions of Fukushima prefecture lashed out at citizen groups wanting measures to protect people from radiation. The insulting and profanity laced tweets directed at the very people he is supposed to be helping didn’t go down well. The tweets have now been removed, there are calls for the agency to sack Yasuhisa Mizuno, the official responsible for the statements. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome the sharing … Read entire article »

TEPCO “Changes” Contamination Levels In Groundwater

[Translate] TEPCO has yet again changed their statements on cesium contamination in the groundwater testing at the plant. Efforts to gain approval from local fishing groups and environmentalists to dump this water into the sea have been a primary public focus of the company in recent months. TEPCO has stopped reporting in English with the exception of the status of water storage and the groundwater issue. The Japanese website holds slightly more information but most reporting of activities at the plant has stopped. We do know from monitoring the web cam that work to remove debris at unit 3 has been progressing and work near the common pool continues. On the groundwater issue TEPCO reported no cesium was … Read entire article »

TEPCO Shows Off Work To Press, Still Doesn’t Know Where Melted Fuel Is

[Translate] TEPCO did another event for the selected press to come see certain parts of Fukushima Daiichi. The tour appears to have focused on the failed ponds, the fuel removal building over unit 4 and the potential change to the cooling systems. The press was not allowed to freely inspect the plant. TEPCO told the press they plan to use the condensate storage tanks, seaside tanks used as part of the original cooling systems. They will be used in some form as part of the upgraded reactor cooling loops. They did not elaborate clearly if these tanks would receive treated water from the radiation removal systems or if the water pumped out of the reactor buildings would … Read entire article »

GAO Find NRC Is Ignoring Nuclear Evacuation Impact

[Translate] The GAO has released a report showing the NRC has downplayed and ignored significant risks in the event of a nuclear evacuation. The NRC’s new standard that was quietly ushered in over the winter holidays in 2011 scaled back the evacuation zone scope to 10 miles around a nuclear plant. In a separate action the EPA and DHS are in the process of confirming a change to how their agencies handle a nuclear power disaster that would declare many areas “safe” and deny people an official evacuation, denying them assistance and potentially forcing them to continue to reside in unsafe areas. The inclusion of nuclear disasters in the DHS report that was initially only to … Read entire article »

Belgian PWR Reactors To Restart With High Risks

[Translate] Belgian nuclear regulator FANC and Electrobel (plant operator) have announced the two Belgian reactors (Doel 3 & Tihange 2) found with thousands of cracks in the reactor vessels will be restarted. Both Bel V (a subsidiary of the Agency) and AIB Vinçotte (private company, agency inspection facilities) released reports questioning the safety of the units and serious concerns about the cracks. These two reports were barred from public view until a Green Party politician released copies on his website. Bel V urged additional testing including pressure testing of the reactor vessels. Electrobel claims the cracks are due to hydrogen in the steel fabricating process but Bel V points out that the cracks are only in the horizontal … Read entire article »

Family Of Deceased Fukushima Hospital Patients Sue TEPCO

[Translate] The families of 4 hospital patients in Okuma Fukushima who died in the chaos of the nuclear disaster have filed suit against TEPCO for their deaths.  Some died as the result of the evacuation and long bus trips out of the area near the plant. Others died while stranded at the hospital 4km from the melting down reactors. About 250 people were left stranded at nearby medical facilities and 50 of them died as a result. Nursing home patients airlifted out of Futaba by SDF helicopter This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original … Read entire article »

New Fukushima Admissions Buried In TEPCO Reporting

[Translate] TEPCO’s reporting as of late has made knowing what is going on a serious challenge. They still release rather important information, it is just hard to find and rarely makes the major papers. This is one such major revelation and admission about unit 1. TEPCO mentions in the roadmap information released only in Japanese around the end of May that they intend to fill the torus room of unit 1 with grout like cement. Apparently absent from this plan is any process to deal with or further confirm the location of the melted fuel in the torus room. Radiation readings found at floor penetrations on the first floor into the torus room have extremely high radiation … Read entire article »

UN Human Rights Report On Fukushima Finds Considerable Problems

[Translate] The UN Human Rights Council report issued this month in an advanced edition spells out many issues that exist after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. While most focus on the aftermath of the March 2011 nuclear events, some aspects apply to those impacted by just the quake and tsunami. This statement towards the end sums up the disconnect and problems currently going on: “The Special Rapporteur urges the government to adopt implementing measures to the Victims Protection Law and provide funding for relocation, housing, employment, education and other essential support needed by those who chose to evacuate, stay or return to any area where radiation exceeds 1mSv/year. These measures should include relief packages reflecting the cost of rebuilding lives.” Some notable … Read entire article »

People Organize Their Own Thyroid Screenings For Fukushima Children

[Translate] Many do not trust the Fukushima Health Survey for a myriad of reasons too long to get into here, suffice it to say the survey has not had the best interests of the individual at heart. The UN Human Rights Committee was quite critical of the current state of the Health Survey and the pressure it has put on doctors to not see pediatric patients from Fukushima for thyroid issues. Saturday the first set of independent thyroid screenings for children from the Fukushima region took place in Tokyo. A group established by journalist Ryuichi Hirokawa to support the children of Fukushima organized the screenings. The screening included a sonogram, copies of the sonogram for the parents to … Read entire article »

US San Onofre Nuclear Plant Will Close Permanently!

[Translate] Southern California Edison announced today in a press release that they will permanently close units 2 and 3 and end the contentious fight to attempt to restart the broken units at partial power. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome the sharing of information or promoting our work, please do so with respect to the large amount of effort and time that goes into our research and analysis. Referring to something or a quote is great, copying it … Read entire article »

Why The US Spying Scandal Is A Global Problem

[Translate] The Guardian broke the story this week, outlining that the US government is conducting widespread fishing expeditions on the call data of Verizon Wireless customers in the US. It is assumed this is going on at all US phone carriers. The government claims they are only collecting “meta data” and not the contents of phone calls but many say the meta data alone is illegal. That data includes: call duration, location, time and identification numbers. The current program evolved out of the Bush era warrantless wiretapping. While many assumed the abuses ended when Bush left office, it is obvious it has continued unabated. According to comments from Congresspeople in the know, it has been and is … Read entire article »

Kan – Jaczko At Press Conference; Comments And Transcripts

[Translate] Friends of the Earth and the San Diego City Council held an almost 4 hour press conference with a number of notable people experienced in dealing with nuclear issues. Of course the most prominent were former PM Kan and former US NRC Chairman Jaczko. The issues at the San Onofre nuclear plant have been extremely contentious in California as 8 million people live within 50 miles of the plant. FOE mentions that the Port of Los Angeles, probably the most critical US port, is within that zone. Some of the more interesting quotes and statements from the conference are below with comments and a rough synopsis of Kan’s full speech are at the end of the … Read entire article »

Fukushima Children 12 Confirmed Thyroid Cancer Cases, 15 More Suspected

[Translate] 3 confirmed thyroid cancers were reported in children in February by the Heath Survey. That number has now climbed to 12 with another 15 suspected thyroid cancers. The Health Survey continues to insist this has nothing to do with these children’s radiation exposure and again claim that cases after Chernobyl didn’t show up for years. We have previously documented where that is not the case after Chernobyl as there was no testing done immediately after to substantiate such a claim that there were no cancers in the first years after that disaster. Read more about thyroid cancer in children and the problems with this issue in Fukushima here. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts … Read entire article »

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