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

this and more we knew.....

They should bring in commercial tankers and transfer the tank water for decontamination... quickly.

NRC Issues Annual Report on
Abnormal Occurrences for FY2012
pdf- one page
[link to www.nrc.gov]


For FY 2012, there
was one abnormal occurrence at an NRC-
licensed nuclear power reactor.
This event occurred June 7, 2011, at Fort Calhoun Station, with the fire and failure of a safety-
related electrical breaker, and the
subsequent loss of both trains of safety equipment.

The public was never in
danger, and there was no release of radioactivity.

The NRC later determined that the event warranted a
red finding for high safety significance under the agency’s Reactor Oversight Process.

Fission Stories #145: When Good News Causes Bad News
[link to allthingsnuclear.org]

Our Takeaway

No one could possibly have anticipated that improving fuel reliability would have adverse implications on the ability to detect leaks of reactor cooling water inside containment.

Unless of course one read the August 3, 2005 warning issued by the NRC on this very matter.

In that warning, the NRC cautioned owners that fuel reliability improvements had reduced the amount of radioactivity within the reactor cooling water with the result that instruments used to detect leakage inside containment “may not be able to detect a 1 gallon-per-minute (1-gpm) leak within 1 hour.”

The NRC based this warning on information it received May 2, 2005 from the owner of the McGuire nuclear plant. That owner informed the NRC it became aware on December 19, 2004, of industry operating experience about other nuclear plant in the US having problems detecting reactor coolant system leakage inside containment and took corrective actions at McGuire after determining it shared the problem.

But the owner of the McGuire nuclear plant also owns the Oconee nuclear plant. Why did it take 8 more years for workers at Oconee to learn (and fix) what workers at McGuire leaned?

More importantly, why does the NRC put up with this nonsense?

EPA Inspector General Pushes Agency on Scientific Integrity
[link to blog.ucsusa.org]

You can't trust the EPA guys... lol...

Former senior EPA adviser Beale expected to plead guilty in $900,000 pay fraud

Over the past 12 years, John C. Beale was often away from his job as a high-level staffer at the Environmental Protection Agency. He cultivated an air of mystery and explained his lengthy absences by telling his bosses that he was doing top-secret work, including for the CIA.

For years, apparently, no one checked.
[link to www.washingtonpost.com]
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Steam leaks at idling Ohi nuclear power plant

The operator of the Ohi nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture says steam leaks occurred in a turbine building of the facility on Thursday. But it says the steam contained no radioactive substances and resulted in no injuries or damage.

Kansai Electric Power Company says steam leaked at 6 locations from piping near a turbine at the plant's Number 3 reactor.

The steam rose as high as 3 meters. The utility told 20 workers in the building to evacuate.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]
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Frozen soil wall test to begin at Fukushima plant

Japan's government is set to test a project to build a frozen artificial wall at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Engineers hope the wall will stop groundwater from seeping into the contaminated compound.

Groundwater is flowing into the plant's reactor buildings from surrounding mountains at a rate of 400 tons per day. The inflow is adding to the problems of toxic wastewater onsite.

The government has pledged 32 billion yen, or about 320 million dollars, to build the underground wall.

The feasibility test will start by mid-October at the earliest. Engineers plan to drive steel pipes 30 meters deep into the soil near the Number-4 reactor building. The pipes will be used to surround a 10-by-10-meter plot on the mountain side of the building.

Liquid calcium chloride at minus 40 degrees Celsius will be pumped into the pipes to freeze the soil. The test will examine whether the wall stops the groundwater flow.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]
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Leaked water may have reached groundwater

The operator of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says radioactive water that leaked from a storage tank may have reached groundwater.

Tokyo Electric Power Company says it detected high levels of radioactive substances in water collected on Wednesday at a monitoring well about 10 meters from the tank.

It says the water contained 650 becquerels per liter of beta-ray emitting substances, including strontium. The water was taken from about 7 meters deep, where groundwater is flowing.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]
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Another one...

Leaked toxic water at Fukushima plant may have mixed with groundwater

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Thursday it has detected 650 becquerels per liter of radioactive substances from groundwater near a leaky water storage tank at its crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The detection of radioactive substances emitting strontium and other beta rays shows the possibility that toxic water from the tank may have reached the groundwater, the plant operator known as TEPCO said. About 300 tons of highly toxic water had leaked from the tank.

The utility said it collected the groundwater Wednesday at a well dug more than a dozen meters south of the tank in the H4 area where the radioactive water had leaked.
[link to english.kyodonews.jp]
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Yeah. I found that amusing, too..

Companies join forces to bring VVER to UK

Rosatom, Fortum and Rolls-Royce have agreed to work together to investigate building Russian-designed VVER pressurized water reactors in the UK. A memorandum of understanding signed by the UK and Russia will underpin the work.

According to Fortum, the trio of companies are to begin preparatory work towards a Generic Design Assessment (GDA) of a VVER-type power plant and site licensing. First commercial contracts have been signed by the parties.
[link to www.world-nuclear-news.org]
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Holtec transport cask passes missile test

Holtec International's HI-STAR 180 transport cask has weathered the impact of a missile travelling at around 600 miles per hour, with no breach of containment boundary.

The test was carried out as part of the Swiss nuclear regulator's storage certification process, and was designed to simulate the impact of a crashing aircraft on the HI-STAR 180 transport cask while in use as a spent fuel storage device, Holtec said.

It was carried out by the US Army's missile launcher and witnessed by Swiss customer Axpo, which operates the Beznau nuclear power plant, as well as the Swiss regulator, ENSI, and the Swiss Association for Technical Inspections (SVTI).
[link to www.neimagazine.com]
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Nuclear Trashmen Gain From Record U.S. Reactor Shutdowns

More than 50 years into the age of nuclear energy, one of the biggest growth opportunities may be junking old reactors.

Entergy Corp. (ETR) said Aug. 27 it will close its 41-year-old Vermont Yankee nuclear plant in 2014, making the reactor the fifth unit in the U.S. marked for decommissioning within the past 12 months, a record annual total. Companies that specialize in razing nuclear plants and hauling away radioactive waste are poised to benefit.

Disposal work is “where companies are going to make their fortune,” Margaret Harding, an independent nuclear-industry consultant based in Wilmington, North Carolina, said in an phone interview. Contractors that are usually involved in building reactors, including Bechtel Group Inc. and URS Corp. (URS), “are going to be looking very hard at the decommissioning side of it.”

With Dominion Resources Inc. (D), Duke Energy Corp. (DUK) and Edison International (EIX) shuttering reactors this year -- and Exelon Corp. (EXC) planning to close its Oyster Creek plant in 2019 -- the U.S. nuclear fleet of 104 units is shrinking, even as Southern Co. (SO) and Scana Corp. (SCG) build two units each. The reasons vary: Edison and Duke are permanently removing damaged plants from service. Entergy and Dominion are retiring the units because of factors including a glut of natural gas, a competing fuel.
[link to www.bloomberg.com]
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What Is The Future Of American Nuclear Power? A Conversation With Christine Todd Whitman

Today, there are 438 reactors worldwide. That number is expected to double by 2030, but almost all of that growth outside of the United States. What is driving that environment of growth outside of the United States, and why the decline here?

Today’s generation knows nuclear best from The Simpsons.
[link to www.nucpros.com]
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Don’t give up on nuclear energy yet

OVER THE past couple of weeks, two of the arguments made against nuclear power by opponents seem to have gotten stronger: that it is too dangerous, and that it is too expensive. Yet it still would be wrong to rule out a near-carbon-free technology that produces a fifth of the country’s electricity.

On Tuesday, the Japanese government announced a new plan to deal with the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility. Though the Fukushima meltdowns occurred more than two years ago, the facility’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (Tepco), is still struggling to contain the damage. The latest problem to attract alarm has been tons of contaminated water. Some 400 tons of groundwater mixes with tainted coolant inside the reactors every day. From there, much of it seeps into the ocean. On top of that, makeshift storage tanks containing radioactive coolant have started to leak. Last month, about 300 tons escaped from one tank. Last weekend, Tepco admitted that it found high radiation levels around another, and contamination readings spiked Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Entergy Corp., a New Orleans-based utility, announced last week that it would shutter the Vermont Yankee nuclear power station next year. Vermont officials had opposed plans to keep the plant open for 20 more years, but the company appeared to be winning that fight. Instead, the company said, the problem is that the plant isn’t economical. Electricity from now-cheap natural gas has been undercutting wholesale electricity prices, making it harder for nuclear facilities to compete.

Given these examples, it would be easy to conclude that nuclear is an aging technology that the country should abandon. We aren’t convinced.
[link to www.nucpros.com]
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I do wish they'd shut the outdated reactors down.
Not worth the risks.
Also.. more security from infiltration.
And, more flood protection for plants below dams.

That would be a good start.
I realize it's unrealistic to shut them all down at this point, however much I'd like to see it happen.

TV: People will be consuming radioactive material coming from Fukushima — Seafood “much further away” from region will have unacceptable levels of contamination at times, says senior scientist (VIDEO)
[link to enenews.com]



Edwin Lyman, Union of Concerned Scientists: There is seafood that concentrates radioactivity. The fishing industry in the region has been devastated, and it looks like it’s not going to come back any time soon.

And there will be occasional levels of contamination in seafood much further away, that will be unacceptable.

People are going to be slowly consuming the radioactive material coming out of Fukushima.

Hope that doesn't happen while they are removing the fuel assemblies. Damn.




Reuters: Crane arm snaps while removing debris from Fukushima Unit 3 (VIDEO)
[link to enenews.com]

More vindication..
Reached that conclusion long ago.




First video of groundwater pouring into basement of Fukushima Unit 1 turbine building — Mixes with highly contaminated water from melted down reactors and flows to Pacific Ocean (VIDEO)
[link to enenews.com]

I saw this broadcast last night. It's the first time I have heard anyone in the MSM speak somewhat honestly about the dangers of contaminated seafood from Fukushima. Lyman held back quite a bit but it was still nice to see and hear his admission about the dangers of eating seafood.

Yes.
The informational dam, as it were, seems to have burst.
About time.

There was always going to be a time when the situation
got so bad that MSM would have to report it; at the risk
of looking like fools if they didn't.

Now is that time.

Through this whole mess I have experienced many emotions. On the first thread it was shock so I made an effort to learn. Then I progressed to denial and anger. Now I'm still pissed but no longer in denial. We learned, we know, we watch. I just hope the following generations are smarter than we have been. Yes, we - as in the nuclear nations - have allowed this. Shame on all of us. Hind sight 20/20.

(There's a reason for reposting this) *wink.....

I remember that day: Interview with, and preview of Christopher Noland's “3:11 Surviving Japan” (documentary available at link)
I remember that day. I was watching the news breaking, the first live shots from the helicopters of fleeing people and vehicles (before they were edited), being literally washed away.

The vehicles were the most amazing, as the traffic seemed unaware of their impending doom, and moved sensibly across the highways not realising, shortly, they would be gone.

The people on high ground, crying helplessly, not able to help in any way, simply filming with their phones as they watched everything; everything washed away in real time.

Little did any of us know about the reactors. And then it happened, the first of the ‘hydrogen’ explosions.

From that time, I began my journey as a chronologist and amateur researcher.

I have met with or spoken with many of the now famous like minded reporters.

This is how I came to meet with Christopher Noland, the Director and Documenter of “3:11 Surviving Japan”

A documentary of an American volunteer, (Christopher) who is still currently in Tokyo Japan.

This is his story before, during and after the Nuclear crisis.

So, to keep things in perspective, I contacted and interviewed Christopher before viewing the Documentary. Here is what he had to say:

[interview raw with Christopher, via live text], 17/07/13, edited by Waterbug (GLP)


CP-so I thought I could do a pre- and post interview to seek out the schism of information..

CHRISTOPHER-Ok

CP- Just thought maybe your current summary of the situation, post-event conclusion and anything you would like to add from experience. Just text me and I can add it.

CHRISTOPHER- I'm not sure I've drawn a conclusion yet ... It develops... But it's better than the conclusion I had 2 years ago.

CP- See.. that within itself is note worthy.
Send them through as number questions so that I can remember

CHRISTOPHER- Well, I was radiated with everyone else, so I wasn't a total outsider.. and I still live here.

CP- That was one of my questions. How it is perceived by foreigners vs the populous.
I think we can go really in depth with a post.

CHRISTOPHER- Well I didn't count myself in really until a Japanese told me that she said you were here too. It's also your disaster.

CP- Why were you in Tokyo to start with (interview mode on).
As a volunteer?

CHRISTOPHER- I was a freelance English teacher and video editor in Tokyo. I had lived there a year prior to march 11th.
I became a volunteer right after the earthquake in Tokyo and then subsequently went up north to volunteer in tsunami ravaged Ofunato for debris removal.
I had never volunteered for anything in my life prior to this event.

CP- How was the experience at the outset of the tsunami?

CHRISTOPHER- You mean when it actually hit? Or when I went up there?

CP- Both. How was the experience, the volunteering; before knowing that this plant (and others) was in danger?
Were you working freely without knowing of any impending dangers?

CHRISTOPHER- Well, they told us everything was OK, but then, not to use the water. I knew something was wrong from the beginning because everyone seemed oddly calm and my phone was blowing up on the internet. I remember seeing my partner almost mesmerized by the TV, but I did not believe there was no danger; no matter how many times Edano tried to tell us it was OK.
I didn't really think about the situation at the power plant while I was in Ofuato. We were way up north in the Rias Mountains, there was no communication with Tokyo really and we were busy cleaning rubble, day in and out.
I was up there for a month.

CP- After the first of the explosions and those that followed what was the response from the general public? As we know, it was fairly well contained among the media? What was the feeling you had from the general populous?

CHRISTOPHER- Well, when the first explosions happened, we stayed inside. We did not leave.

CP- For how long?
Were there alerts?

CHRISTOPHER- I voluntarily stayed inside. I had gathered enough food and supplies right after the tsunami that we could have lived in there for a month.

CP- Obviously, this is after the tsunami was acknowledged..

CHRISTOPHER- There was nothing about the power plant until the next day

CP- When exactly was that?

CHRISTOPHER- The 12th of March.
The explosion at reactor 1.

CP- How was the incident phrased?
Was it cautionary, or an emergency?
(I was just remembering that no news was really released to the mass media)

CHRISTOPHER- It was weird. It was an obvious emergency but they told us there was "no immediate danger to human health".
You had Edano and the government on TV reassuring us moment by moment, afterwards.

CP- From observation, were people inclined to believe this news, or did they take precautionary measures?

CHRISTOPHER- Well we did not go outside for at least 4 days, so I do not know what other people did.
Obviously we did.. by staying in.

CP- Where you were, was there power or news? I believe it may have been too harrowing, given circumstances, to have thought anything about nuclear plants.

CHRISTOPHER- We were in Tokyo and we had power. I had never thought about nuclear power plants before. All I knew is that it was lethal if it escaped.
Yes. There was constant news.

CP- At what point where you drawn to document?
Was there an epiphany?

CHRISTOPHER- I was drawn to document the tsunami situation for the people in Tokyo when I reached Ofunato but not to make a full length movie. I did not decide it to be a movie until I met a lady who spoke out about her horrid situation in the tsunami being denied aide and shelter. It was unusual for anyone to complain here. It was that.. and after I visited the offices of TEPCO, with the Journalist we had been travelling with.

CP- what is your opinion of the TEPCO responses given time to ponder?
Again, and I failed to mention, that this is prior to watching your documentary.

CHRISTOPHER- At the time?

CP- At the time, and perhaps a considered time frame until this point?

CHRISTOPHER- They didn't really tell us what it would do to our health. They just kind of said the power plant had an accident

CP- Have you been tested since the crisis; personally, and health wise?

CHRISTOPHER- No.

CP- So, you returned to Japan. Do you have concerns for yourself?

CHRISTOPHER- No

CP- Why?
Reading the news as such, and the mass media escalating the exposure risks?

CHRISTOPHER- That event changed my life forever and I felt like a gypsy wandering the states after. I was like the accident happened but no one knew or had moved on.. and I realized the people who needed to know the most about it, were here.

CP- When you returned home for a respite and renewal of your attendance, what did you share with people? What were you finding that was reportable to those outside of Japan?

CHRISTOPHER- Can you elaborate?

CP- What did people not know about?
More to the question; what did you find you could share with the outside audience that would be profound?
As in... what is extraordinary that people were not knowing, that was known in Japan?

CHRISTOPHER- Americans didn't really know anything about the nuclear disaster
they thought it was cleaned up and over with

CP- Before watching the documentary, what is the explicit message you believe it to convey?
Is there a message? and if so, what would it be?

CHRISTOPHER- Well. It's about an American who volunteers all of his time and learns all of this stuff about Japan during the height of its disaster.
The true disaster was not just the tsunami or power plant explosion. It was the fact that we believe people are taking care of things for us, we generally believe everything is running smoothly. But it unveiled a problem that is a world wide problem, companies taking advantage of poor people through media manipulation and buying off their governments

CP- Last question before a debrief at friend level..... what do I take away from the documentary?

CHRISTOPHER- I'm not sure I can answer what you will take away from it.

CP- What did you take away from it?
Let's say the whole plethora.

CHRISTOPHER- That we the many, put ourselves in the hands for the few that would throw us away.

CP- I must ask, does it make you afraid?

CHRISTOPHER- Does "what" make me afraid

CP- Where you are, and the situation?
thoughts?

CHRISTOPHER- No, I used to be afraid of it but its going to go on forever so why waste my life being afraid of something? Its ok to be cautious but to live in fear is no life at all..
Which is why I don't want to live in America

CP- That's well spoken, so question.
1? chronology 2. experience 3. life

So that I can reflect.. Are you single, married kids? I ask because this would reflect on my viewing of your documentary.

CHRISTOPHER- I'm not single. I do not have children.

CP- Last one, in Japan, does that affect the people's decisions as to response, given their social situation?

CHRISTOPHER- Does what?

CP- Their social situation
i.e.: If you had kids.. is that a question rather than being single?
Japan is a group orientated society.
Is the institution for them somewhat more to understand than the crisis?

CHRISTOPHER- Is the what?

CP- institution

CHRISTOPHER- I'm not getting the question

CP- Societal, government, behavioural standings 'things as they are, and should be', question

CHRISTOPHER- No. In Japan you question nothing and follow the rules

CP-thankyou
(DONE)


Viewing:

On viewing, the first thing that comes to mind is the flood of memories of the entire tsunami, earthquake and explosion events.

The next thought that comes to mind is watching Christopher helping in the catastrophic damage, and speaking of all the personal belongings they had to rescue or remove. The footage at this point, is worthy of a documentary of its own. Pure devastation. The will and determination of the people, at this point, (as can be seen from the footage) was still, not yet broken.

Needless to say, without any Government information, the people in the 30 km exclusion zone, were left to their own devices, with no information, petrol, or daily supplies.

There were voices in the early days, from Government officials that called for solar and wind and less energy use; these voices went unheard to the outside world.

The entire nuclear situation is seamlessly intertwined with the tsunami, the people, volunteers and government officials.

The documentary also provides evidence, from the people themselves as to the unknown in the crisis, particularly after 1 interview over a meal of rice, the reporters are seen driving away casually holding a Geiger counter measure 1.4 uSv.

I leave the best for last, as a local politician bravely admits to what we all have come to realise; and that, is for your consideration. A hint, is how mind blowing the ending interview really is. Like any good story, I won’t spoil the ending, but it is tragic and disturbing how resigned the population are.

A nice summation by Christopher of course, he should know, he was there.

On review, the entire documentary left me with a quote: “It is one thing to see the fish in a commercial aquarium, it is another to actually swim amongst them” (CP)

A powerful and must see piece, for anyone following the reality of the ongoing crisis.

Review by:
CitizenPerth
Follow me at

[link to fukushimaemergencywhatcanwedo.blogspot.com.au]

NYTimes: Countries increasingly worried about Fukushima Unit 4 spent fuel — Experts: Concern over potential cracks in pool walls — Professors: “In deteriorating condition”; “This is a critical global issue”; “Could have fatal consequences for Japan”
[link to enenews.com]


Telegraph Sept. 4, 2013: [...] Tom Snitch, a senior professor at the University of Maryland and with more than 30 years’ experience in nuclear issues, said “[Japan officials] need to address the real problems, the spent fuel rods in Unit 4 and the leaking pressure vessels,” he said. “There has been too much work done wiping down walls and duct work in the reactors for any other reason then to do something. [...] This is a critical global issue and Japan must step up.”

Japan Focus, Sept. 2, 2013: [...] from November, TEPCO plans to begin the delicate operation of removing spent fuel from Reactor No. 4 fuel pool. [...] The spent-fuel pool [...] was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami, and is in a deteriorating condition. It remains vulnerable to any further shocks, and is also at risk from ground liquefaction. [...] If a fuel rod is dropped, breaks or becomes entangled while being removed, possible worst case scenarios include a big explosion, a meltdown in the pool, or a large fire. [...] This is literally a matter of national security – another mistake by TEPCO could have incredibly costly, even fatal, consequences for Japan. [...]

Ahem...


“Frightening”: It’s Impossible to stop groundwater entering Fukushima plant, says official — Abandoning melted fuel means contamination will always be flowing out — “I’m truly afraid… a tremendous problem… very, very serious” (VIDEO)
[link to enenews.com]


Tatsuya Murakami, Mayor of Tokai-mura in Ibaraki Prefecture: What I’m truly afraid of is the groundwater. As you know, Japan is a country with a lot of rain. You could even consider it to be a monsoon country, and when we add that to the fact that we are a very mountainous nation, that means you have a lot of water always running underground to the ocean.

When you look at the Fukushima power plant, you see that nearby is a very big mountain range called the Abukuma mountain range, and mountain ranges are always as I said a source of water. And there’s just a tremendous amount of groundwater always, always flowing very strongly towards the ocean. […]

Given the fact that the special terrain of Fukushima encourages groundwater — I know that at present the people in charge of the Fukushima plant are saying that they will somehow stop the groundwater from getting into the premises of the plant — but I think it’s an extremely difficult task. I frankly think it is an impossible task, and I think anyone who thinks that they can accomplish such things and conquer nature in that way is simply just full of themselves and not really realistic

S.Korea bans marine products from eastern Japan

South Korea has decided to ban imports of marine products from 8 eastern Japan prefectures, because of the leaks of tainted water at the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant.

The South Korean government announced on Friday that the ban will take effect on Monday.

Officials say they are responding to consumers' growing concerns about radioactive contamination in Japan.

The officials say the ban applies to all marine products from the 8 prefectures, regardless of whether radioactive materials are detected in them.

The 8 prefectures are Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate, Aomori, Chiba, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]
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2 sites found fit for radioactive waste storage

Japan's Environment Ministry says 2 candidate sites for storing radioactive waste in Fukushima Prefecture are fit for the purpose as their bedrock is firm.

Ministry officials on Friday briefed a panel of experts on the results of land surveys at the sites in Oh-kuma and Naraha towns. Both are near the disabled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The officials said workers dug deep into the ground at the sites and confirmed the presence of strong bedrock beneath low-lying land, plateaus and hills.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]
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Japan's NRA to fully disclose tainted water data

A senior official from Japan's nuclear power regulator says it will fully disclose information on radioactive substances leaked into the sea from the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Hideka Morimoto, the deputy secretary general at the secretariat of the Nuclear Regulation Authority, made the remarks at a news conference on Friday.

He offered no comment on the possible adverse effect the water leaks could have on Tokyo's bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

He did not speak on South Korea's decision to ban imports of marine products from some parts of Japan either.
[link to www3.nhk.or.jp]
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