ScribbleLive

I must go sleep. The puppy has told me it is past my bed time. :-)

Health checks planned for firefighters www.yomiuri.co.jp

@Ralph Unger : they apologized that SPEEDI failed when they needed it :) - but i wonder why it still does not work in Miyagi and Fukushima pref. shouldn't be so difficult to repair a sensor within 4 months !!! www.bousai.ne.jp

@Majj : what i found out about Angra 3 : 1985 it was decided that Areva and Siemens / KWU should build Angra 3. the german government decided to bail the joint venture with 2.5 billion euros, now shortened to 1.3 billion. siemens cancelled the joint venture, but the bail (federal security) is still valid for the areva part. now the german governments proves it until august and it can be expected that they will withdraw the surety, since it makes no sense anymore. i don't know if areva will construct it on its own, but germany is out - nearly. the protests in Berlin were a reminder for chancellor merkel not to forget to withdraw the bail. as i see the situation personally - Angra 3 will be toast before it is constructed. :) de.wikipedia.org csr-news.net

@Bobby1 : yes, but japan does not want to export nukes anymore:

Gov't to suspend nuclear cooperation talks after Kan's nuclear remarks

TOKYO, July 15, Kyodo

The government has decided to suspend talks with Brazil and four other countries concerning the sale of Japanese-made nuclear power equipment and technology after Prime Minister Naoto Kan called this week for Japan's eventual exit from nuclear power, government sources said Thursday.

The decision concerns negotiations over completing separate nuclear power cooperation agreements with Brazil, India, South Africa, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. Negotiations with all five countries have stalled since the earthquake and tsunami in March triggered a nuclear crisis in northeastern Japan.

The decision to suspend talks with five countries with plans to build nuclear plants in the immediate future could cause Japanese companies to lag further behind such rivals as South Korea and Russia in the global competition to clinch nuclear power plant contracts with emerging economies. [Kyodo]

TEPCO again stops key reactor cooling system

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant continues to struggle in its efforts to stably cool the facility's reactors. Workers have again halted a key wastewater system after discovering that it was operating below capacity.

Early Friday morning, Tokyo Electric Power Company stopped the system, which decontaminates and recycles radioactive wastewater. The system had resumed operation only a day before to repair a leak.

TEPCO says it found that even after the repair, the system was able to treat only 37 tons of contaminated water per hour, which is 20 percent below target. The company is now inspecting the cause.

TEPCO says the latest shutdown had not led to a rise in fuel rod temperatures, as cooling operations are continuing with water that had previously been decontaminated.

Steady operation of the water treatment system is critical to achieving the company's goal of having a stable reactor cooling system in place by Sunday. That would mark the end of the first phase of bringing the reactors under control.

Meanwhile, on Thursday night, TEPCO began injecting nitrogen into the No.3 reactor's containment vessel to prevent a hydrogen explosion.

It says the measure has not led to a rise in radiation levels around the facility.

Friday, July 15, 2011 12:51 +0900 (JST)
www3.nhk.or.jp

Japan walks out of IWC talks to avert vote on whaling sanctuary

ST. HELIER, Jersey, July 15, Kyodo

Japan and 20 other pro-whaling nations walked out of talks at the International Whaling Commission Thursday, blocking a proposal to vote on a whaling sanctuary in the southern Atlantic and forcing the issue to be put off until next year.

The walkout en masse on the final day of this year's IWC annual meeting was likely the first of its kind, a Japanese Fisheries Agency official said. With less than the required majority of member nations present, the vote was not held.

After a nine-hour adjournment, the IWC decided to put off the issue for discussion at the start of next year's meeting to be held in Panama.
english.kyodonews.jp

Lithuania studying Japanese bids for nuke plant

Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius has expressed willingness to use Japanese technology in a new nuclear power plant proposed for the Baltic country.

In an interview with NHK on Wednesday, Kubilius said he welcomes Japanese makers' involvement despite the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

He said Lithuania faces no danger of a major earthquake or tsunami and is a suitable place for nuclear plants. [this man is wiser than Nathan]

Lithuania plans to spend around 5 billion dollars to build a new nuclear plant in about 11 years' time. Japan's Hitachi and Toshiba, each teaming up with US reactor makers, are bidding for the contract.

The Prime Minister said competition between the Japan-US consortiums would improve the safety of the plant and allow Lithuania to choose the most favorable plan.

In late 2009, Lithuania shut down a nuclear facility that had a similar design to the Chernobyl reactor at the request of the European Union.

Lithuania currently depends on neighbor Russia for 80 percent of its energy and says it needs a new plant for national security reasons.

Thursday, July 14, 2011 15:05 +0900 (JST)
www3.nhk.or.jp

Hitachi wins Lithuania nuclear plant bidding right

Japanese electronics giant Hitachi says it has obtained preferential negotiating rights for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Lithuania.

Lithuania is planning to build the facility around 2020. The Baltic country has been facing power shortages since 2009, when it closed a nuclear plant that was built in the Soviet-era and used a Chernobyl-type reactor.

Japanese companies Hitachi and Toshiba, each teaming up with US partners, have put in bids for the contract.

Lithuania's government decided on Thursday to give preferential negotiating rights to Hitachi.

With its US partner General Electric, Hitachi is proposing to build a state-of-the-art nuclear plant.

The company says it will improve the safety of the facility by securing an emergency alternative power source. It is adding the feature in light of the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Hitachi aims to reach a formal contract with Lithuania over the 5 billion dollar project by the end of the year.

Friday, July 15, 2011 11:56 +0900 (JST)
www3.nhk.or.jp

Fukushima Prefecture vows to shift away from nuclear plants

FUKUSHIMA, July 15, Kyodo

Fukushima Prefecture vowed to shift away from nuclear power plants in its reconstruction vision compiled Friday after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami triggered a serious nuclear crisis.

The about-face came after Prime Minister Naoto Kan's declaration Wednesday of pursuing a society free from dependence on nuclear energy and is expected to affect the policies of other prefectures where nuclear plants are located.

Fukushima may be the first Japanese prefecture that has had nuclear plants and has vowed to eliminate them, said an official at the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy. english.kyodonews.jp