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

Decontamination begins in Fukushima
Japan's government has begun removing soil and other items contaminated by radioactive substances released during last year's nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant.

The work began on Friday in a part of Tamura City that was reclassified in April from a no-go zone to one where residents could return to live in the near future.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]
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Ministry admits faults in its Fukushima responses
Japan's education ministry has admitted that its response to the Fukushima nuclear accident was inappropriate in terms of informing residents and addressing parents' concerns about radiation exposure.

A report issued on Friday refers to the government decision not to release radiation maps provided by the United States immediately after the accident began in March 2011.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]
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Edano cautious about another nuclear plant restart
Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yukio Edano has urged restraint in deciding whether to restart another nuclear power plant.

His comment follows a remark that Kansai Electric Power Company President Makoto Yagi made on Wednesday.

Yagi referred to the 2 idled nuclear reactors at the utility's Takahama plant in Fukui Prefecture, on the Sea of Japan coast. He expressed hope that the reactors can resume operation if their safety is ensured.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]
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Ministry justifies withholding of radiation forecast data from public
The science ministry said Friday it was appropriate for it to withhold radiation forecast data from the public immediately after a major disaster hit the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in March last year, because the data "cannot be regarded as simulations of the real situations."

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology said in a report the predicted spread of radioactivity data compiled by the System for Prediction of Environmental Emergency Dose Information, or SPEEDI, was "calculated based on assumptions."
[link to english.kyodonews.jp]
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Bunch of crap to try and cover some bare asses..

More insanity..

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Radioactive salesman busted
[link to www.chieftain.com]

Some dumbassery..

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Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission launches probe to determine how ‘high-risk radioactive nuclear substance’ was left in Slater Street meeting room for three weeks

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

Why not..?

Everybody else is doin' it..

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Candidates for nuclear regulatory commission paid by power utilities
[link to ajw.asahi.com]

Arrogance..? In the nuke industry..?

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EDITORIAL: KEPCO's arrogance on display in comments about restarting reactors
[link to ajw.asahi.com]

As usual.. tepco[read jap .gov] disagrees with the findings.

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Final report of government investigation panel on Fukushima accident released
[link to www.shimbun.denki.or.jp]

The sum of all doses to all individuals in a population is the collective effective dose with unit manSv.

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No. 1 workers' radiation doses soared 16-fold
[link to www.japantimes.co.jp]

[snip]

March 2011 alone accounted for around half of the figure, some 120.2 man-sieverts, while the highest exposure recorded for an individual worker stood at 678.8 millisieverts.

This is just plain stupid.. What will it take to make a difference in this mindset..? Total destruction..?

I agree with the live-and-let-live idea to some extent.. as long as you don't affect others with your actions..
This nuke disaster..collusion..corruption..ineptness..thing in japan affects all of us.. as does the nuke culture that is springing up all over the world.. with India, Iran, China and many others expanding their programs.

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Suspicious geological faults
[link to www.japantimes.co.jp]

[snip]

In early June, before the Oi plant's Nos. 3 and 4 reactors are restarted, experts pointed out the possibility that fault-crushing belts there, composed of stones formed through fault movements, will move together with nearby faults, causing strata sliding on the ground surface.

NISA should be criticized for letting Kepco restart the Oi reactors before the geological studies are carried out. The government has no plan to stop the reactors despite the need for the surveys. One fault crushing belt at the Oi plant site runs between the Nos. 1 and 2 reactors on one side and the Nos. 3 and 4 reactors on the other. A major pipe used to carry water to cool the Nos. 3 and 4 reactors crosses the belt.

NNSA Conducts Nuclear Blast Detection Test
[link to www.nti.org]

[snip]

The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration on Tuesday said it had set off a massive underground chemical explosion as part of a program to refine the capability to detect illicit nuclear testing (see GSN, May 5, 2011).

ARKANSAS NUCLEAR - LOSS OF AC POWER TO THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS FACILITY

At 2120 [CDT] [on 07/26/12], a loss of AC power to the Emergency Operations Facility (EOF) occurred effecting emergency response capability. The Technical Support Center (TSC) remained available. In the event of on emergency declaration requiring an EOF, the emergency Response Organization (ERO) would have been directed to report to the Backup EOF.
[link to www.nucpros.com]
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Southern Company - Farley - TECH SPEC REQUIRED SHUTDOWN FOR DIESEL MAINTENANCE EXCEEDING ALLOWED OUTAGE TIME

At 21:51 [CDT] [on 7/26/12], Farley has commenced shutdown of Unit 1 in accordance with T.S. 3.8.1, AC Sources - Operating. 1B Diesel Generator was removed from service on 7/16 at 21:52 [CDT] for a planned 24 month outage. Due to emergent equipment issues with the diesel, the RAS (Required Action Statement) time of 10 days to return the diesel generator to service has not been met. Unit 1 shutdown to Mode 3 has commenced. The unit must be in Mode 3 by 03:52 [CDT] on 7/27/12, and Mode 5 by 09:52 [CDT] on 7/26/12.
[link to www.nucpros.com]
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COLUMBIA GENERATING STATION - INVALID PRIMARY CONTAINMENT ISOLATION VALVE ACTUATION

At 0535 [PDT] on 5/31/12 during power ascension following a maintenance outage, a loss of power to the Reactor Protection System (RPS) 'B' occurred due to the unexpected opening of the circuit breaker (RPS-CB-MG2) for the RPS 'B' motor generator. The loss of RPS 'B' resulted in a half scram signal, closure of Primary Containment Isolation Valves (PCIVs) from multiple systems and loss of power to main steam line radiation monitors (MS-RIS-610B & MS-RIS-610D). No plant parameters or maintenance activities existed which would cause the opening of RPS-CB-MG2; therefore, this is considered to be an invalid actuation of a system listed in 10CFR50.73(a)(2)(iv).
[link to www.nucpros.com]
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Southern Company - VOGTLE - 3 & 4 (W-AP1000) - CONFIRMED POSITIVE ON A FITNESS FOR DUTY TEST

A non-licensed employee supervisor had a confirmed positive for alcohol during a follow-up fitness for duty test. The employee's unescorted access to the plant has been terminated.
[link to www.nucpros.com]
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New Chinese hydropower dam equivalent to 15 nuclear reactors
KARACHI: The giant and controversial “Three Gorges Dam” in China has launched the last of its generators, just as it hits its annual flood peak.

The final 32 generators went into operation this week, making it the world's largest hydropower project, built on the Yangtze River in the Hubei Province.

The dam, which first went into operation in 2003 at a cost of $22.5 billion, has a combined generating capacity of 22.5 million kilowatts (22,500 megawatts), the equivalent of fifteen nuclear reactors.
[link to www.brecorder.com]
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FEATURE: Fukushima man resolved to care for abandoned cattle
Naoto Matsumura has remained within the no-go zone around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture even as tens of thousands have evacuated due to high levels of radiation.

He has taken on the task of feeding and caring for abandoned cattle, whose owners have followed the order to leave their homes in the wake of the nuclear disaster triggered by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

"I said I would take care of them, so I can't back down now," said Matsumura, 53, a resident of the town of Tomioka, recalling an incident earlier this year that prompted him to take on the mission.
[link to english.kyodonews.jp]
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Saludos WaterBug, ACsweden405, CP and others. I can't pm you but I wanted to direct your attention to this thread for possible comment if you know of data.
Thread: James "The Joker" Holmes, Columbine killers, and the PLUTONIUM connection

I don't buy it...
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Whoops!

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Vermont Yankee employees allow water to drain from spent fuel pool
[link to vtdigger.org]

Nuclear Energy Insider


Weekly Intelligence Brief 18 – 25 July 2012
[link to analysis.nuclearenergyinsider.com]

NRC Report States That Storing Spent Nuclear Fuel In Wet Pools Is ‘Adequate’ To Protect Public
[link to www.ucsusa.org]

[snip]



80 percent of that stored spent fuel has been in the pools for more than five years and can be moved to dry casks, which do not require power for cooling and are passively safe. Given the potential consequences from a severe accident or terrorist attack on a spent fuel pool, it makes sense to transfer to casks as soon as it is safe to do so.

NRC warns of problems at Catawba Nuclear Station

Read more here: [link to www.myrtlebeachonline.com]

really makes you wonder how much we don't know pre-fuku... that video i posted was an eye-opener....

And now.. something that affects all NPPs.
PDFs

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NRC ISSUES BULLETIN ON POTENTIAL DESIGN VULNERABILITY
IN ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEMS AT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
[link to www.nrc.gov]

[link to pbadupws.nrc.gov]

Delete emails after secret meetings.. doesn't everybody..?

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Cabinet Office official deleted emails on secret meetings of pro-nuclear parties
[link to mainichi.jp]

Well done you guys for keeping this out there...

The sheep have short memories.

Fukushima cleanup at a standstill in most evacuated areas
[link to ajw.asahi.com]