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Fukushima & Nuclear News Roundup
[Translate] The head of the JAEA that runs the Monju reactor program has resigned after a massive string of failures and incompetence was uncovered by the NRA. Officials don’t see this as a solution to the problems at Monju that are far more widespread than the leadership. Kyodo News reports that NRA also discovered operational and management problems where there was an obsession with restarting the reactor and worker warnings were ignored. An in depth analysis by Asahi Shimbun shows how closing the Tsuruga #2 reactor for being over an active fault line could create a house of cards that would be a blow to all the power companies in Japan. Potential shutdown of other reactors suspected to be over fault lines could put all of Japan’s power companies into heavy debt. The Japanese Industry … Read entire article »
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US Nuclear Plant Cracks Reactor Vessel
[Translate] The Sharon Harris nuclear plant admitted to having a crack in the reactor vessel. The 1/4 crack did not penetrate all the way through the vessel steel. It was not reported how long or deep the crack was. The reactor ultrasound data was collected a year ago but the plant officials are only now going through it. This raises questions about why they were allowed to wait so long and also to restart before the review is conducted. The plant owners said the repair would need to be done with robots on the reactor head section of the reactor vessel due to the high radiation. The crack appeared on a weld for a control rod nozzle on the reactor head. The unit in question is a 3 loop PWR reactor, this … Read entire article »
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Radball To Be Used To Map Hot Spots In Fukushima Reactors
[Translate] A strange looking device will be used to map the radiation in the Fukushima reactors. The device can detect radiation levels and feed them to a computer that can make a detailed radiation level map. This could help pin point hot spots in the building to better understand the failure of each unit. It will also help identify dangerous spots that workers should avoid or require shielding to be put in place. The device was invented at the UK’s National Nuclear Lab. Lancashire Evening Press (photo credit: same) 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 … Read entire article »
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TEPCO Withholds “Black Box” Data About Fukushima Nuclear Disaster
[Translate] In April of 2010 TEPCO signed a contract with high tech security company Magna BSP to provide a sophisticated video and trespass detection system at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. This was the first installation of what was to be a series of similar installations at nuclear plants around Japan, coordinated between the government and nuclear operators. The system was installed at Fukushima Daiichi in 2010 Two TEPCO workers who were trained on the system weeks before the disaster were confirmed to have been among the Fukushima 50 who stayed at the plant during the worst of the disaster. To date TEPCO has not acknowledged the existence of the system or volunteered any of the video and data captured by the system to the public or the press. This data was never … Read entire article »
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83 Year Old Nun Who Broke Into Nuclear Facility Faces 20 Year Sentence
[Translate] The 83 year old nun that broke into Oak Ridge nuclear facility faces a 20 year sentence after being found guilty. If given the full sentence she would essentially serve the rest of her life in prison. The group who snuck into the facility and vandalized a building are waiting for the final sentencing phase of their trial. 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. … Read entire article »
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TEPCO To Remove Cover On Unit 1 This Fall
[Translate] TEPCO will remove the cover on unit 1 at Fukushima Daiichi this fall. The cover was hastily put over the unit in 2011 in an attempt to lower releases. TEPCO did not say why this work has suddenly been jumped ahead of other work. Most of the roadmap plans TEPCO has announced put unit 1 far down the list of priorities. To remove the spent fuel TEPCO will need to remove the cover, something they say will raise radiation levels. They will also need to remove the remains of the roof and the two cranes to do the work. It was not mentioned how much the radiation levels would rise during this work. Meanwhile the Japanese government has been pushing to reclassify more and more areas near the plant as being … Read entire article »
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TEPCO Begins Dumping Contaminated Water Into The Sea
[Translate] TEPCO has begun dumping groundwater pumped out of a set of wells inland from the reactors into the Pacific. TEPCO dumped 200 tons of groundwater yesterday as a test. They claim it has the same radiation level as nearby rivers but did not say what that level was or the actual substances in the water. Previous tests of the well water detected tritium and cesium but at low levels. TEPCO still needs to gain the approval of the government and local fishing groups before continued groundwater dumping can begin. TEPCO also admitted that the radiation levels at the edge of the plant grounds could go up. They cited the transfer of highly radioactive water in one of the leaking ponds as the source. The water is being moved to above ground metal tanks … Read entire article »
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To The Surprise Of Absolutely No One, Yakuza Involved In Decontamination Work
[Translate] Asahi Shimbun reports on the prolific problems of the Yakuza in the layers of contractors used to conduct decontamination work after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Workers only see a portion of their pay as gang members siphon off the rest. Even legitimate contractors have been blamed for the massive waste in the system where each layer of subcontractors takes a cut of the pay. Journalist Tomohiko Suzuki has a very simple solution to both problems. Direct hire workers to do the decontamination work. Read all the details over at Asahi Shimbun http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201305060062 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. … Read entire article »
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Highly Radioactive Debris Found On Unit 3 Refueling Floor
[Translate] TEPCO has announced that a piece of highly radioactive debris has been pulled off of the refueling floor of unit 3. The object read 540 mSv/h and was removed by robotic equipment. So far no photos of the object or description of where on the refueling floor it was found have been provided by TEPCO. Ex-SKF has full translations of the two TEPCO statements. We have been monitoring the progress of the refueling floor debris removal. As of last week they were nearing the area over the reactor well. These photos show where they were in the clean up last week. 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 »
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Current Challenges & Progress At Fukushima Daiichi
[Translate] TEPCO’s testing of the ALPS system intended to remove all contamination except tritium continues but now it is not expected to be out of the testing phase until fall 2013 at the earliest. TEPCO also admitted that the system is not completely removing contaminants as expected and the radiation levels around the equipment was rising. Right now neither issue was halting work but could become a problem over time if not resolved. This throws a huge problem into the contaminated water problems. TEPCO currently has no plan do deal with this issue. They have begun building more tanks on site and still hope to use the groundwater bypass system but that has not been approved or fully implemented. The radiation increases around ALPS could cause a bigger problem down the road if the … Read entire article »
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Goldfish Found In Reactor Water At Perry Nuclear Plant
[Translate] The NRC is investigating an incident during the recent maintenance outage at the Perry nuclear plant in Ohio. Goldfish were found swimming in a lemonade pitcher filled with reactor water that was left in the steam tunnel. The location is part of the secured portion of the reactor building that houses the steam pipes that run between the reactor and the turbine building. The NRC and plant operators think they will be able to catch the pranksters due to security cameras and limited access into the area. The Perry nuclear plant is already under heightened scrutiny after two workers were involved in a life threatening radiation incident last year. The number of whistleblower complaints from nuclear plant workers and NRC employees has seen an uptick in recent years. An incident at San … Read entire article »
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NRA To Investigate Fukushima Disaster
[Translate] The NRA has announced they will officially start an investigation into the technical issues of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The investigation of two issues begin immediately. Those are: 1. Unit 1′s isolation condensers and if they were damaged by the earthquake 2. The cause of the hydrogen explosion at unit 4 Both issues have been highly controversial. TEPCO and the national government have dismissed both issues in their reports but questions remain. The other issues to be investigated by the NRA are: 3. Did the earthquake damage the plant and how 4. The meltdown events for the three units and the current status and location of the melted fuel. The NRA has so far appeared to be fairly independent and focused on facts rather than politics. This investigation will test that assumption. If the investigation is conducted well … Read entire article »
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Sisyphus With A Paper Cup; TEPCO’s Enormous Water Problem
[Translate] The contaminated water problems at Fukushima Daiichi have been plaguing the plant since day one. In recent months the problems have once again shown themselves to be too much for TEPCO to deal with while the plant continues to contaminate the environment. TEPCO stated that they were again, out of space only to find space after it became apparent the government would not allow them to dump contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean. This is something TEPCO has asked to do repeatedly since 2011 when they dumped contaminated water into the Pacific on top of what has been leaking. Contamination and contaminated water from the failed reactors is still making its way out of the plant a number of ways, all with long term major implications for the environment and public … Read entire article »
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US Nuclear; Failing Casks, Cracked Concrete And Foot Dragging On Safety
[Translate] 30 of the US’s 100+ nuclear plants have ordered spent fuel pool water level monitoring systems. The issue of this kind of equipment came up again during hurricane Sandy as both members of the public and experts questioned if the nuclear plants impacted by the storm had upgraded spent fuel pool equipment. The new equipment to monitor and provide water to the pool was suggested by the post Fukushima committee that looked at what failed and could fail at US reactors. It is not clear if the remaining units in the US have not ordered such equipment or have already ordered such equipment. The water level monitoring system is only part of the suggested upgrades and comes with a 7 day battery pack. Dry Casks Failing In The US The NRC found multiple … Read entire article »
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Contaminated Rice Piles Up, Veggies From The Evacuation Zone And Over Limit Towns Reopen
[Translate] Officials have lifted the farming ban from Tamura, an area that has been part of the evacuation zone until recently. At least two farmers are planning on planting crops. The radiation levels in Tamura are lower than in Koriyama and Fukushima City but they are still significant. Most of Tamura is over the 1mSv/year threshold for exposure set by ICRP and being used as a benchmark in Japan. Using the range of readings taken today from the monitoring equipment in Tamura we calculated the radiation levels below. The high range and the average radiation ranges put the annual exposure over the ICRP limit. The lowest readings come in just below the ICRP limit. It is also known and admitted by MEXT that the radiation stations read below the actual radiation levels … Read entire article »
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IAEA Gives Little Insight To Fukushima Disaster Cleanup
[Translate] The IAEA visited the Fukushima Daiichi disaster site after multiple failures ended up in the news. They made very few comments from the trip and reaffirmed they think TEPCO can handle the disaster. What they did mention: It will take more than 40 years to clean up the disaster Technology still needs to be created to deal with the task of removing the melted fuel Problems and failures at the plant will continue to be an issue TEPCO should replace temporary systems with something more permanent and safer Contaminated water is expected to seep outside the plant after “decades” The Japanese government is still intent on sending everyone back to the area as soon as possible. Sources: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-22/fukushima-leaks-won-t-seep-beyond-plant-for-decades-iaea-says.html http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/04/24/national/fukushima-nuclear-plant-cleanup-may-take-more-than-40-years-iaea/#.UXfJJqKLY00 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 … Read entire article »
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Fukushima & Nuclear News Roundup April 24, 2013
[Translate] So far about 3000 people have reached settlements with TEPCO, the news report does not say if any of these are substantial claims where property loss is involved or if those completed were less complicated claims. The Diet is planning to create a law that would give people more time to file claims or an extended ability to file a lawsuit if talks break down. With about 160,000 people displaced by the disaster this number seems extremely low. Mayors in Shizuoka that have been against the Hamaoka nuclear plant have been reelected. The mayors have opposed the operation of the plant thought to be one of the most dangerous in Japan. About 40% of the new radiation monitoring stations in Japan have not been equipped with emergency generators. The stations were designed … Read entire article »
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Unit 1 Access Hatch Inspection Gives Clues
[Translate] TEPCO sent a pair of robots in to inspect the personnel access hatch for unit 1 recently. Upon reviewing the video we found a few things of significance. TEPCO obviously had some motivation for checking this room. A large diameter steam pipe runs through the adjacent room and goes through the thick concrete containment wall. The pipe is a steam line for the HPCI system. The radiation levels near the pipe jump to a range of 120-155 mSv/h and water can be seen on the floor. Salt staining is also evident below the pipe leading to a floor drain. This drain could be part of a controlled liquids system meaning that water running to the drain may be captured by radioactive waste systems at the plant. The leak appears to have … Read entire article »
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EPA Signs Industry Authored Public Radiation Rules
[Translate] The EPA has signed the revised PAG rules that have caused much concern among experts and others in the EPA. These new rules were written by the NCRP, an industry funded group that represents the nuclear power industry’s interests. In an attempt to fight off criticism about the dangerous new standards the EPA tried to claim they are non-binding. Yet we have seen PAG standards being applied to the Fukushima disaster and being used as an excuse in the US to ignore contamination problems in the US. The new standards would take water contamination from 3 picocuries per liter to 81,000 picocuries per liter. The EPA claims since the levels are just for emergencies they are somehow OK. This is just another example of the dysfunction in government where an industry can … Read entire article »
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Fukushima School Swimming Pools As High As 100,000 bq/kg
[Translate] School swimming pools in Fukushima have been found to have some with over 100,000 bq/kg, concentrated in mud in the pools. A pool in Fukushima City registered 119,461 bq/kg. from the mud at the bottom of the pool. One in Minamisoma had 8,468 bq/kg. Both pools had not been cleaned out since the March 2011 disaster. Asahi Shimbun mentions some schools cleaned their pools early on but dumped the contaminated water and silt back into the environment. This would contribute to the environmental contamination and can make its way into rivers and streams. The central government is responsible for aiding the clean up due to the high levels but so far have not done anything to clean up the pools. The pools are yet another example of places where radiation can hyper concentrate and … Read entire article »
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