*** Fukushima *** and other nuclear-----updates and links

80 Bavarian Opera members refuse to tour in Japan on radiation fears

[link to mdn.mainichi.jp]

Louisa quake shaping debate on future of nuclear power

Nine days after an earthquake shut down the North Anna nuclear plant in August, federal regulators launched a public reappraisal of the seismological risks posed to commercial reactors east of the Rocky Mountains.

The timing might have been coincidental, but the magnitude-5.8 quake is reshaping a national public debate over safety standards for nuclear reactors in central Virginia and other areas more vulnerable to seismic upheaval than once thought.

Eleven seconds after the earthquake began in Mineral — 11 miles southwest of the North Anna plant — both nuclear reactors shut down.

The reactors had been tripped by what is called "negative flux rate trip," a sign that control rods had dropped into place to interrupt the nuclear fission process.

Dominion officials say the fail-safe system was triggered by a loss of off-site electrical power to the reactors, but they aren't sure exactly what happened first.

"We don't know for certain just what tripped the reactors," Heacock said last week.

[link to www2.timesdispatch.com]

Political elite can't stand outsiders

[link to search.japantimes.co.jp]

Noda to schmooze with world chiefs at N.Y. meet
Kyodo
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will make his diplomatic debut this week during a trip to New York City to attend U.N. meetings and hold bilateral talks with President Barack Obama and other world leaders.

[link to search.japantimes.co.jp]

Must America Accept a Nuclear Iran?

The newspaper Keyhan, which operates directly under the supervision of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently published an analysis that said America has no choice but to accept a nuclear-armed Iran.

Al-Watan reportedly quoted U.S. Gen. James Cartwright, former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as saying: "The only way to end Iran's nuclear pursuits is to militarily occupy their facilities, the Arak and Natanz nuclear sites in particular; but given the possible consequences that it can have, particularly the price tag, it does not appear to be possible."

An editorial on the Revolutionary Guards’ website, Gerdab.Ir, boasted that the world will do nothing when Iran tests its first nuclear bomb and that it will be a moment of national pride.

The Iranian leaders have concluded that America is weak because of its economic problems and that it doesn’t have the stomach for another war after the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.



[link to www.foxnews.com]

- knew this crap was coming...

Iran-North Korea nuclear link-up: The West’s worst nightmare Iran-North Korea nuclear link-up: The West's worst nightmare

Experts say a Tehran-Pyongyang atom cooperation would be logical but hard to substantiate as reports point to North Korea supplying neutron flow software to Iran.

[link to www.kippreport.com]

Pakistan cashed in on N-technology’

WASHINGTON (Online) - Pakistan spread nuclear weapon technology around the globe in exchange for cash, political influence and help with its own atomic bomb programme, suggest documents obtained by a US news channel.
Among those on the other side of the deals with Pakistan are China, Iran, North Korea and Libya, Fox News said in an exclusive report.
The charges are contained in two documents written by disgraced Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan - long thought to be the mastermind behind an elaborate global supply and procurement network.
[link to nation.com.pk]

Israel becomes associate member of European nuclear organization
Associate membership in CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is a step toward full membership.
[link to www.globes.co.il]

Dominion's nuclear plants have shut down more often than average in the last two years

It you have pre-existing weaknesses," Lochbaum said, "and then you have an earthquake, those pre-existing weaknesses can line up to create the perfect storm that turns a bad day into a catastrophic day."

Equipment and human failures tend to cluster at the beginning and end of a plant's life, he said.

Dominion Virginia Power's plants came online between 1972 and 1980. Originally licensed for 40 years, those licenses have been extended for an additional 20 years.

"I think they're unsafe," said Erica Gray of Henrico County, with the Coalition Against Nukes. "I think most of them are old and they're falling apart. I'm just scared that we're going to end up with an incident here that could render parts of our state uninhabitable."

[link to www2.timesdispatch.com]

Our view: Idaho has had this debate before:Storage is not a ‘mission’ with a future

OUR VIEW NUCLEAR WASTE

Read more: [link to www.idahostatesman.com]

Water leak shuts down reactor

COVERT -- The Palisades nuclear power plant was shut down Friday afternoon after a water leak of more than 10 gallons per minute was detected in the system that cools the plant's nuclear reactor.

[link to www.istockanalyst.com]

* this plant opened in '71 and has been re-licensed until 2031 by the NRC. Already 40 years old. The designed lifespan of a reactor vessel is 40 years....

Last Edited by Waterbug on 09/18/2011 10:30 AM

All we have to do is nuc their facilities. If a nuclear bomb goes off who is to say that it was not their own doing?

BOMB, BOMB, BOMB, BOMB, BOMB, IRAN
THAT WAS REAGAN'S PLANNNNNN!
WE'RE GONNA ROCK THOSE AYOTOLLAHS,
GONNA BOMB THE HELL OUT OF IRAN!

Fukushima Daiichi NPS

14 new pictures
[link to cryptome.org]

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Fukushima Pref. fireworks ditched over radiation fears
[link to www.yomiuri.co.jp]

Parties keep quiet on Ontario’s nuclear future
[link to www.thestar.com]

Government struggles to capture dogs gone wild in Fukushima

[link to www.tokyotimes.jp]

Anti-nuclear rally in Tokyo draws thousands

Tens of thousands of Japanese rallied and marched against nuclear power in Tokyo Monday. The demonstration underscores concern in the wake of the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant in March. (Sept. 19)
[link to www.washingtonpost.com]

No impact of Sikkim quake on 20 N-plants

Sanjay Jog / Mumbai September 20, 2011, 0:52 IST



The Sikkim earthquake has not impacted the functioning of the country’s 20 nuclear power plants with a total generation capacity of 4,780 Mw. Their continued function proves that the nuclear power plant structures, systems and equipment have been designed in a way that enables them to take the effect of such calamities, an official with the Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) said today.

[link to www.business-standard.com]

- ok, ok. they can survive an earthquake. but what about the power and backup systems?

TRUTH OR PARANOIA? Activists Claim Parts Of Tokyo Are More Radioactive Than Chernobyl

Al-Jazeera talked to some of the volunteers who are digging for radiation samples in supposed hot spots around the city (via Infowars). Blogger Kouta Kinoshita claims to have recorded radiation samples that are higher than areas of Chernobyl that were evacuated.

Al Jazeera also talked to a Tokyo mother who says her daughter is already suffering from radiation sickness. Yayoi Iinuma won't let her daughter outside anymore.

Read more: [link to www.businessinsider.com]

Tell NRC to close Limerick nuclear plant
[link to pottsmerc.com]

Breaking!!!

A huge amount of influx of groundwater flooding into the basement of reactor building from 1 to 4



[link to translate.google.com]

The translation is awkward but I think they are saying there is a 2 million ton unaccounted surplus of water that is attributed to groundwater entering the buildings via cracks from the earthquakes.

This complicates the water cooling storage and decontamination strategy.

Nuclear experts rethink their future

Japan's nuclear energy experts are discussing how complacency contributed to the accident at the country's Fukushima Daiichi power plant. They started a 4-day conference on Monday. It is their first major gathering since an earthquake and tsunami triggered a nuclear crisis.

The Atomic Energy Society of Japan meeting is happening in the southwestern city of Kitakyushu. The event was postponed after the March 11th disaster.

Participants include university professors, researchers and workers from the nuclear energy industry.

Professor Hisashi Ninokata of the Tokyo Institute of Technology is leading the Atomic Energy Society panel that's investigating the Fukushima accident.

He told a morning session that experts placed too much confidence in Japan's nuclear power generation and created a nuclear safety myth.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]

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Hosono seeks US, French help to scrap reactors

Japan's cabinet minister in charge of the nuclear disaster has asked the United States and France for help in scrapping the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

Goshi Hosono on Monday held separate meetings with US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko, US Energy Secretary Steven Chu and French Industry Minister Eric Besson in Vienna. They are in the Austrian capital for the general assembly of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]

IAEA opens annual general conference

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, says the agency will play a key role in securing the safety of nuclear plants across the world.

Amano spoke at the annual IAEA general conference that opened in Vienna on Monday.

He began his speech by referring to the accident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and how it caused anxiety throughout the world, damaging confidence in nuclear power.

He said the most important thing now is to ensure transparency, build confidence and meet the high expectations of the public.

The IAEA Board of Governors approved the agency's first ever Action Plan on Nuclear Safety last week.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]

Now they ask for help...

Monday, September 19, 2011
63,000 Bq/Kg of Radioactive Cesium from Rooftop of Apartment Bldg in Yokohama City

[link to ex-skf.blogspot.com]

thats south of tokyo... evacuation anybody? : /

you'll love this...

Japanese Government to Invite Foreigners Who Have Large Facebook and Twitter Networks to Tohoku So That They Can Tell Their Followers “Japan Is Safe”

[link to ex-skf.blogspot.com]

"the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is hopeful that "They will send out messages after they actually visit the places and eat the local specialty food. We believe that the messages will be more credible, not the baseless rumor."

lol! wild horses wouldnt get me there, never mind eat local food!!
are theyre having a laugh?... or is it a plan to kill the truth seekers off!!

tohoku's about same distant away from fukushima as tokyo but north (200k)

Last Edited by rawpaul on 09/20/2011 06:23 AM

Amazing.