Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Major Energy and Environmental News and Commentary affecting the Nuclear Industry.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Expanded NRC Questions and Answers related to the March 11, 2011 Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami (May 20, 2011)

Expanded NRC Questions and Answers related to the March 11, 2011 Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami (May 20, 2011)

Fukushima: NRC's basis for 50-mile evacuation recommendation 05/27/11

Fukushima: NRC's basis for 50-mile evacuation recommendation

05/27/11

Review of Electrical Storage Technology from Next Big Future by noreply@blogger.com (bw)

Review of Electrical Storage Technology

from Next Big Future 

Fukushima Daiici Video; Dust Inhibitor

Fukushima Daiici Video; Dust Inhibitor

Tokyo Electric Power Company has released a new video showing the first extensive coverage of the dust inhibitor operations on site.

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI DUST INHIBITOR OPERATIONS ON APR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Gundersen Gives Testimony to NRC ACRS by Fairewinds Associates plus

Gundersen Gives Testimony to NRC ACRS

* Updates on Fukushima: The Implications of the Fukushima Accident on the World's Operating Reactors



http://www.fairewinds.com/

More from The Thorium Alliance Conference

More from The Thorium Alliance Conference

There were a number of other interesting presentations at the Third Thorium Energy Alliance Conference. In particular Edward Kee and Colonel Paul E. Roege offered what amounted too complimentary talks.

http://nucleargreen.blogspot.com/2011/05/more-from-thorium-alliance-conference.html
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Issa Presses NRC’s Jaczko on Failing to Respond in Japan Inquiry

Issa Presses NRC’s Jaczko on Failing to Respond in Japan Inquiry

Friday, May 27, 2011

Japanese scientist: Fukushima meltdown occurred within hours of quake

Japanese scientist: Fukushima meltdown occurred within hours of quake

Uranium could reach $80/lb this year, says UEC boss

Uranium could reach $80/lb this year, says UEC boss

GE opens solar-powered car charging port in Conn

GE opens solar-powered car charging port in Conn

* MAY 27, 2011, 5:30 A.M. ET Low-carbon Power Would Deliver Just Half Required CO2 Cuts -IEA

Low-carbon Power Would Deliver Just Half Required CO2 Cuts -IEA

Japan Bows to Parent Pressure Over Radiation Concerns

Japan Bows to Parent Pressure Over Radiation Concerns

Tepco Failed to Disclose Scale of Fukushima Radiation Leaks, Academics Say

Tepco Failed to Disclose Scale of Fukushima Radiation Leaks, Academics Say

Nuke plant issues aired Fairfield County facility inspected after Japan quake

Nuke plant issues aired

Fairfield County facility inspected after Japan quake

Intl. Energy Agency: Transforming Electrical Generation is Key to Fighting Climate Change

Intl. Energy Agency: Transforming Electrical Generation is Key to Fighting Climate Change

IEA Warns on Impact of German Nuclear Halt

IEA Warns on Impact of German Nuclear Halt

IAEA International Fact-Finding Mission Updates 5/27

UPDATE: Fact-Finding Mission Visits Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (27 May 2011)


The IAEA's Fact-Finding Mission in Japan visited the tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on 27 May 2011, the final site visit of the team's programme to identify lessons from the Japanese nuclear accident that could help improve global nuclear safety.
The team's international experts from 12 nations held discussions with top plant operating officials and toured the six-reactor facility.
"Visiting Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was a once-in-a-lifetime experience - once in 10 lifetimes, I suspect. Our team left with great admiration for the extraordinary workers who have been undertaking such immensely difficult tasks," said team leader Mike Weightman, the United Kingdom's chief inspector of nuclear installations.
Next for the team are continuing discussions with Japanese officials from a variety of agencies as part of an exchange of technical data that will assist the mission in drafting its report, which will be presented to the Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Safety at IAEA headquarters in Vienna on 20 to 24 June.

UPDATE 1-G8 leaders want tougher nuclear safety rules

UPDATE 1-G8 leaders want tougher nuclear safety rules

Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas gets $300M contract

Global Nuclear Fuel-Americas gets $300M contract

New leak feared at stricken Japan nuclear plant

New leak feared at stricken Japan nuclear plant

Japan Seeks Lead Role in Nuclear Safety Guidelines

Japan Seeks Lead Role in Nuclear Safety Guidelines

Ensuring Nuclear Safety

Ensuring Nuclear Safety

US Nuclear Industry's Response To Fukushima Shaped By BP Oil Spill


US Nuclear Industry's Response To Fukushima Shaped By BP Oil Spill

UPDATE 1-Westinghouse sees no change in AP1000 nuclear design

UPDATE 1-Westinghouse sees no change in AP1000 nuclear design

Nimby and Nukes: Vermont Utility Makes a Deal with Seabrook


Nimby and Nukes: Vermont Utility Makes a Deal with Seabrook

The Other Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant May 25th, 2011

The Other Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant

May 25th, 2011

Westinghouse Press Release Clarifyin Facts Regarding NRC Statement on AP1000

Westinghouse Clarifies Facts Regarding NRC Statements On AP1000
- Believes statements about discovery and severity of issues are being misinterpreted
- Emphasizes high level of testing, analysis and independent endorsements
- Will work with NRC and remains confident of final approvals this fall
PITTSBURGH, May 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Officials of Westinghouse Electric Company today said they are disappointed that recent U.S. NRC statements regarding the discovery of new issues relating to the approval of design amendments for the AP1000® nuclear power plant are being misinterpreted and sensationalized.
The company also said the NRC statements, including a news release issued May 20, do not reflect Westinghouse’s transparent and cooperative approach to the handling of the discovery and severity of the few remaining issues that need to be resolved before receiving approval from the NRC.
“The AP1000 nuclear energy plant is a highly robust and safe plant that has undergone an extremely intensive series of tests and reviews by the NRC, the independent Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards, university experts and numerous other independent third parties,” said Ric Perez, president of Operations for the company.  ”The AP1000 is very likely the most closely scrutinized nuclear energy plant in history, now having undergone several years of exhaustive system and component testing, public debates, design reviews and multi-national regulatory oversight.   We are confident that it is extremely safe.”
The company is aware of only three issues remaining to be validated, none of which are safety significant.  The issues involve the final submittal of confirmatory calculation in the areas described below. All three issues have undergone preliminary analyses which have been seen by the NRC for familiarity and clarity. All preliminary analyses results support the positions and bases taken by the staff in their advanced safety evaluation made in February 2011. None of the three issues is anticipated to lead to any design change in the plant as submitted by Westinghouse in December 2010 (DCD-18).
  • In December 2010, the NRC and Westinghouse agreed that containment vessel internal pressure calculation would need to be revised. It was determined late in April that documentation of the calculation was required prior to the design certification amendment. The revised calculation will be reviewed with the NRC in a public forum on June 2.
  • In April 2011, the NRC challenged the analytical guidelines used by Westinghouse in its comprehensive Shield Building Design Report submitted in May 2010. Specifically, the NRC challenged the position that climatic thermal loads (e.g. sunshine) need not be combined with seismic loads in structural design calculations due to their small impact and based on prior U.S. building code practice.  Westinghouse disagreed with the NRC position that the load combination was a strict code compliance issue due to the shield building’s steel-composite structure and clear treatment in the design report.  Nevertheless, Westinghouse agreed to perform the detailed load combination calculations to provide additional assurances to the NRC. To date, Westinghouse has completed preliminary calculations which, as expected, require no change to the shield building design.  This information was presented to the NRC during a public meeting last week
  • The third issue relates to what design model was used for the design of the passive containment cooling system (PCS) tank.  There are two technically acceptable models but each treat differently the hydrodynamic forces from water in the tank. The May 2010 Shield Building Design Report references the specific model to be used for each structure contacting the PCS tank. However, during the confirmatory work on loads discussed above, Westinghouse self-identified that it did not use the specific model outputs for one corner structure of the tank. The specific model loads and structural analysis have now been used, and Westinghouse is working to verify preliminary conclusions that indicate that there is no reason to change the tank design.
While Westinghouse strongly believes that safety is the utmost priority and that a transparent review process involving the public is critical, it also believes that it has already proven to the NRC that the AP1000 pressurized water reactor is a highly robust design that will take nuclear safety to an even higher level. In any case, the company has pledged to work cooperatively and transparently with the NRC to address any outstanding technical issues.
“We have defended openly our claims of safety for the past six years, starting with the original design certification of the AP1000. We have always reiterated to the staff that getting things right is our first priority. Our behaviors towards these last few issues continue to reinforce that practice.” Mr. Perez said.  “We are confident that we will resolve any legitimate and objective concerns and receive final approval of the design amendments as planned this fall.”
Westinghouse Electric Company, a group company of Toshiba Corporation (TKY:6502), is the world’s pioneering nuclear energy company and is a leading supplier of nuclear plant products and technologies to utilities throughout the world. Westinghouse supplied the world’s first pressurized water reactor in 1957 in Shippingport, Pa. Today, Westinghouse technology is the basis for approximately one-half of the world’s operating nuclear plants, including 60 percent of those in the United States.

WordpressURL Westinghouse Clarifies Facts Regarding NRC Statements on AP1000

 Westinghouse Clarifies Facts Regarding NRC Statements on AP1000

Shale Gas Market $26.66bn in 2011 - New Study Available on ASDReports.com

Shale Gas Market $26.66bn in 2011 - New Study Available on ASDReports.com

Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes Modeling meltdowns in reactors and the media

Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes

Modeling meltdowns in reactors and the media

Computer predictions of failure at Fukushima

 

U.S.- Russia Reaffirm Commitment to Cooperation on Energy Efficiency and Smart Grid Technology

U.S.- Russia Reaffirm Commitment to Cooperation on Energy Efficiency and Smart Grid Technology

Aggressive Efficiency and Electrification Needed to Cut California Emissions

Aggressive Efficiency and Electrification Needed to Cut California Emissions
Berkeley CA (SPX) May 27, 2011 - In the next 40 years, California's population is expected to surge from 37 million to 55 million and the demand for energy is expected to double. Given those daunting numbers, can California really reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, as required by an executive order? Scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory who co-wrote a new report on Calif ... more

http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/Aggressive_Efficiency_and_Electrification_Needed_to_Cut_California_Emissions_999.html

Russia hopes for nuclear safety rules progress at G8

Russia hopes for nuclear safety rules progress at G8
Deauville, France (AFP) May 26, 2011 - Russia said Thursday it was likely to win agreement from its G8 partners for its proposals for new legally-binding nuclear safety rules after Japan's Fukushima disaster. "The likelihood is very high because there is simply no alternative to that," said Nikolai Spassky, deputy head of state nuclear body Rosatom. Spassky told reporters on the sidelines of the G8 summit that France supporte ... more

Using the energy in oil shale without releasing carbon dioxide in a greenhouse world

Using the energy in oil shale without releasing carbon dioxide in a greenhouse world
Stanford CA (SPX) May 27, 2011 - New technology that combines production of electricity with capture of carbon dioxide could make billions of barrels of oil shale - now regarded as off-limits because of the huge amounts of carbon dioxide released in its production - available as an energy source in a greenhouse world of the future. That's the conclusion of a report on "electricity production with in situ carbon capture" ( ... more

http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/Using_the_energy_in_oil_shale_without_releasing_carbon_dioxide_in_a_greenhouse_world_999.html

Russian Kalinin 4 nuclear reactor on track for November, 2011 start, new fuel pond cooling systems and Fukushima follow up

Russian Kalinin 4 nuclear reactor on track for November, 2011 start, new fuel pond cooling systems and Fukushima follow up

A Gas Power Plant to Make Renewables More Practical

A Gas Power Plant to Make Renewables More Practical

GE says its new gas-plant design can address the sudden drops that occur with renewable forms of energy.

Westinghouse Develops a System to Keep Spent Nuclear Fuel Cool in Emergency Situations

Westinghouse Develops a System to Keep Spent Nuclear Fuel Cool in Emergency Situations

Third Thorium Energy Alliance marks rapid progress toward fulfillment of dreams

Third Thorium Energy Alliance marks rapid progress toward fulfillment of dreams

IAEA UPDATE: Fact-Finding Mission Review Tsunami Damage at Tokai Daini and Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plants (26 May 2011)

UPDATE: Fact-Finding Mission Review Tsunami Damage at Tokai Daini and Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plants (26 May 2011)


The IAEA's Fact-Finding Mission in Japan visited two nuclear power plants in northeastern Japan on 26 May 2011 as part of the team's effort to identify lessons from the Japanese nuclear accident that could improve global nuclear safety.
Team members spent the morning at the Tokai Daini Nuclear Power Plant and then visited the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant. The team's experts from 12 nations examined the Tokai Daini Nuclear Power Plant and then visited the Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Plant to review the damage at both sites and held technical talks with plant operators.

TEPCO Press Releases 5/27

1. New!(May 27,2011)Plant Status of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (as of 10:00 am, May 27)
2. New!(May 26,2011)Start of Spray of Dust Inhibitor to the Radioactive Materials around the Turbine Buildings and Reactor Buildings of Unit 1-4 of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
3. New!(May 26,2011)Detection of trace amount of radioactive materials by the regular monitoring at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station (continued report)
4. New!(May 26,2011)Plant Status of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (as of 3:00 pm, May 26)
5. New!(May 26,2011)The result of the nuclide analysis of radioactive materials in the seawater collected in the offshore area of Ibaraki Prefecture (continued 3)
6. New!(May 26,2011)Detection of Radioactive Materials from Seawater near Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (64th release)
7. New!(May 26,2011)Status of TEPCO's Facilities and its services after the Tohoku-Chihou-Taiheiyou-Oki Earthquake (as of 3:00 PM, May 26)
8. New!(May 26,2011)The results of nuclide analyses of radioactive materials in the air at the site of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (62nd release)
9. New!(May 26,2011)The results of nuclide analyses of radioactive materials in seawater taken in areas near intake canal of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (for the data taken on May 25)
10. New!(May 26,2011)Plant Status of Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station (as of 3:00 pm, May 26)
11. New!(May 26,2011)Detection of Radioactive Materials from Subsurface Water near the Turbine Buildings of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
12. New!(May 26,2011)Status of TEPCO's Facilities and its services after the Tohoku-Chihou-Taiheiyou-Oki Earthquake (as of 9:00 AM, May 26)
13. New!(May 26,2011)The Time-line Regarding Seawater Injection to Unit 1 at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
14. New!(May 26,2011)Status of the Inspection and Restoration Works Performed after the Niigata-Chuetsu-Oki Earthquake (as of May 26)
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Thursday, May 26, 2011

China Cranks Up Heat on Nuclear Fusion

China Cranks Up Heat on Nuclear Fusion

The Scientific Estate: The Whale and the Reactor Redux

The Scientific Estate: The Whale and the Reactor Redux

Reassessing California's Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in a post-Fukushima world

By G. Pascal Zachary  /  May 2011

A quake could cut Diablo access, escape

A quake could cut Diablo access, escape

The NRC says state highways and roads by the reactors are vulnerable but provides no answers

BY DAVID WEISMAN

'Bright future' for nuclear power

'Bright future' for nuclear power

If thorium had been used instead of uranium as the fuel in Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant, there would have been no risk of a meltdown after the country's devastating earthquake and tsunami. And South Africa has 18 000 tonnes of the material, according to John Prior of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation. 

Nuclear meltdown and revolution boost renewables – E&Y

Nuclear meltdown and revolution boost renewables – E&Y

26 May 2011
Japan’s nuclear disaster and political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa have spurred momentum in the global renewables sector, but declining incentives and access to finance remain obstacles to growth, according to Ernst & Young.

US, Russia reset faces new challenges

US, Russia reset faces new challenges
Deauville, France (AFP) May 26, 2011 - Despite diplomatic payoffs and a "free-flowing" dialogue with the Kremlin, the legacy of Cold War history and suspicion sometimes still challenges the "reset" US-Russia relationship. Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev met Thursday on the sides of the G8 economic summit in France, and there were the usual professions of friendship, cooperation and praise for how far they have come in ... more

Greenpeace warns of radioactive sea life off Japan

Greenpeace warns of radioactive sea life off Japan
Tokyo (AFP) May 26, 2011 -
Environmental group Greenpeace warned Thursday that marine life it tested more than 20 kilometres (12 miles) off Japan's stricken Fukushima nuclear plant showed radiation far above legal limits. The anti-nuclear group, which conducted the coastal and offshore tests this month, criticised Japanese authorities for their "continued inadequate response to the Fukushima nuclear crisis" sparked by ... more

G8 'fully confident' Japan will recover from nuke disaster

G8 'fully confident' Japan will recover from nuke disaster
Deauville, France (AFP) May 26, 2011 -
G8 leaders meeting in France are to express complete confidence that their partner Japan will make a full recovery from the Fukushima nuclear disaster, according to a draft statement Thursday. "In the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, we expressed heartfelt sympathy for the victims and solidarity with the people and government of Japan," said the proposed ... more

Expert discovers simple method of dealing with harmful radioactive iodine

Expert discovers simple method of dealing with harmful radioactive iodine

Iodine-131 was the harmful gas emitted from the Fukushima power plant in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami last month, and was a significant contributor to the health effects from open-air atomic bomb testing in the 1950s, and was also emitted during the Chernobyl disaster.
by Staff Writers Sheffield UK (SPX) May 27, 2011 Iodine radioisotopes are produced by fission of uranium fuel in a nuclear reactor. Radioactive iodine is of concern because it is highly mobile in the environment and selective uptake by the thyroid gland can pose a significant cancer risk following long term exposure.

Fitting wind onto the electricity grid (part 2)

ANS Nuclear Cafe

Fitting wind onto the electricity grid (part 2)

By Ulrich Decher

Fukushima Faces ‘Massive’ Radioactive Water Problem

Fukushima Faces ‘Massive’ Radioactive Water Problem

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GE Sees Solar Cheaper than Fossil, Nuclear Power in 5 Years

GE Sees Solar Cheaper than Fossil, Nuclear Power in 5 Years

Reportlinker Adds Power Market in Western Europe to 2020 - Government Policies Downplaying the Nuclear Energy Industry and Spurring the Growth of Renewable Energy

Reportlinker Adds Power Market in Western Europe to 2020 - Government Policies Downplaying the Nuclear Energy Industry and Spurring the Growth of Renewable Energy

Altmire & Murphy Promote Nuclear Reactor Act By Abhinav Parameshwar, Contributing Writer

Altmire & Murphy Promote Nuclear Reactor Act

By Abhinav Parameshwar, Contributing Writer

Sarkozy to Kan: Energy policy not just a choice of nuclear power

Sarkozy to Kan: Energy policy not just a choice of nuclear power

Japan's Marathon Power Problem

Japan's Marathon Power Problem

SA still going nuclear

SA still going nuclear

May 26, 2011 3:10 PM | By Sapa

Energy Minister Dipuo Peters reiterated government's commitment to nuclear and renewable energy as part of the integrated resources plan (IRP).

Tepco's handling of Japan's nuclear crisis under severe scrutiny

Tepco's handling of Japan's nuclear crisis under severe scrutiny

The International Atomic Energy Agency’s visit to Japan this week coincides with unprecedented criticism of the Tokyo Electric Power Company's handling of Japan's nuclear crisis following the March 11 earthquake.

Nuclear debate should include hazards of sticking with fossil fuel

Nuclear debate should include hazards of sticking with fossil fuel

 
 

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Nuclear+debate+should+include+hazards+sticking+with+fossil+fuel/4475720/story.html#ixzz1NVlrQYDX

UPDATE 4-EU finalises "stress tests" for nuclear reactors

UPDATE 4-EU finalises "stress tests" for nuclear reactors

South Texas Project plans for 2011 hurricane season

South Texas Project plans for 2011 hurricane season

Japanese refuse to bow to authority Furious public demands truth about meltdown

Japanese refuse to bow to authority

Furious public demands truth about meltdown

Shaw Power Group taps small nuclear reactor industry

Shaw Power Group taps small nuclear reactor industry


Read more: Shaw Power Group taps small nuclear reactor industry | Charlotte Business Journal

Fukushima May Become Graveyard for Radioactive Waste From Crippled Plant

Fukushima May Become Graveyard for Radioactive Waste From Crippled Plant

Three Reactors at Japanese Plant Have Melted Fuel, NRC Says

Three Reactors at Japanese Plant Have Melted Fuel, NRC Says

GE Vice Chairman Sees Nuclear Sector Delays After Japan Crisis


GE Vice Chairman Sees Nuclear Sector Delays After Japan Crisis

Fukushima's Limited Impact On The Global Nuclear Industry

Fukushima's Limited Impact On The Global Nuclear Industry

Did Fukushima Kill the Nuclear Renaissance in the U.S.?

 

Did Fukushima Kill the Nuclear Renaissance in the U.S.?

UPDATED ANALYSIS: The Costs of Canceling Japan's Plans for Nuclear Power

UPDATED ANALYSIS: The Costs of Canceling Japan's Plans for Nuclear Power

NEI Weekly Intelligence Brief

Business Intelligence for the nuclear industry


 

Weekly Intelligence Brief

Weekly Intelligence Brief 19 May – 26 May 2011

Post Fukushima - Investigations, Recriminations and Squabbling in Tokyo but Cautious Optimism Elsewhere in Asia

Business Intelligence for the nuclear industry


Industry Insight

Post Fukushima - Investigations, Recriminations and Squabbling in Tokyo but Cautious Optimism Elsewhere in Asia

Classified documents turned over related to leaking McMurdo nuclear plant and cancer claims

Classified documents turned over related to leaking McMurdo nuclear plant and cancer claims

Ensuring Nuclear Safety

Ensuring Nuclear Safety

Business Travel Day

Dear Readers
I am on business travel today. Will resume posting this evening.
Michele Kearney

Are major “environmental” groups paid to help oil and gas interests make more money?

Are major “environmental” groups paid to help oil and gas interests make more money?

Fukushima reactor had meltdown 3.5 hours after cooling system collapsed: U.S. researcher

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110523p2a00m0na019000c.html

Fukushima reactor had meltdown 3.5 hours after cooling system collapsed: U.S. researcher

Agency stops giving projections of radioactive substance spread

Agency stops giving projections of radioactive substance spread

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

TEPCO release of interest

TEPCO release of interest


http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts_110525_01-e.pdf

Fukushima Reactor 1 Drywell Reading Hits All Time High 204 Sieverts/Hour from zero hedge by Tyler Durden

Fukushima Reactor 1 Drywell Reading Hits All Time High 204 Sieverts/Hour

from zero hedge

Westinghouse AP1000 ... Who is on which side? from atomic power review by Will Davis

Westinghouse AP1000 ... Who is on which side?

from atomic power review

Three Reactors at Japanese Plant Have Melted Fuel, NRC Says

Three Reactors at Japanese Plant Have Melted Fuel, NRC Says

Containment vessels also damaged

Containment vessels also damaged

Fukushima Station Considered as Site for Nuclear Graveyard

Bloomberg

Fukushima Station Considered as Site for Nuclear Graveyard

May 25, 2011, 8:34 PM EDT

Utility Sees Possible Quake Role in Plant Damage

Utility Sees Possible Quake Role in Plant Damage

FEPC Update to Information Sheet Regarding Tohoku Earthquake 5/25

 
Please find the updated information sheet below and attached that summarizes the events from Update-45 on 5/18.
 
For your reference, JAIF (Japan Atomic Industrial Forum) has been posting the translation of news reports on their website. http://www.jaif.or.jp/english/  
 
 
Please direct any questions regarding this document to me, Ishida@denjiren.com or Samuel Lederer, Researcher of FEPC at lederer@denjiren.com.
 
Update to Information Sheet Regarding the Tohoku Earthquake
The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPC) Washington DC Office
 
As of May 25, 2011
All times listed below are Japan Standard Time (JST) unless otherwise noted.
 
  • Reactor Core Status of Unit 2 and 3 at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
    • On May 24, TEPCO announced the analysis result of the reactor core status of Unit 2 and 3 at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
    • According to the analysis, TEPCO proposed a more severe situation in which the water level gauges of reactor pressure vessels have not indicated the actual water level. In such case, TEPCO estimates that fuel pellets of Unit 2 and 3 melted and fell down to the bottom of reactor pressure vessel approximately 101 hours and 60 hours after the earthquake, respectively.
    • TEPCO also estimates that most of the melted fuel is submerged and cooled with water at the bottom of reactor pressure vessel and damage to the reactor pressure vessels of Units 2 and 3 is limited.
    • TEPCO believes that a large-scale release of radioactive materials is unlikely to occur in the future.
    • The details are available at:
 
  • Installation of Circulating Cooling System for Spent Fuel Pool at Unit 2
    • On May 21, TEPCO submitted a report to the Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency (NISA) regarding the installation of a circulating cooling system at the spent fuel pool of Unit 2 to remove decay heat of the spent fuel continuously in order to maintain the water level and ensure the cooling of water in the pool.
    • Currently, freshwater is being injected from time to time in order to compensate for the evaporated water.
    • TEPCO plans to install the system by the end of May and evaluated that the water temperature will decrease to approximately 149.0 Fahrenheit 1.5 days after full operation and further decrease to 105.8 Fahrenheit one month later.
    • The full version of the report is available at:
 
  • Major Activities
    • On May 21, the artificial floating island called “Mega-Float” which can accommodate approximately 10,000 tons of water arrived at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station to temporarily receive low-level radioactive water which has accumulated in site buildings.
    • Other countermeasures such as injecting water into reactor cores, injecting Nitrogen gas into primary containment vessels, shooting water aimed at spent fuel pools, transferring accumulated water, and dispersing dust inhibitor over the ground continue to be implemented.
 
  • Radiation Levels
    • On May 21, TEPCO announced results of the analysis of the water entering the ocean from a pit (a vertical portion of an underground structure for housing electric cables) of Unit 3. TEPCO estimated the total amount of water that entered the ocean was approximately 250m3 and that the total radiation content was approximately 2.0 x 1013 Bq. (As previously reported, the water was observed entering the ocean on May 11 and terminated on the same day.)
    • The concentration of radioactive nuclides from the groundwater sampled at sub-drain pits at Unit 1 to 6 of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station were as follows:
 
 
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 5
Unit 6
Samples taken at
5/23
11:40AM
5/23
11:45AM
5/23
11:50AM
5/23
11:31AM
5/23
11:30AM
5/23
11:20AM
Nuclides
(half-life)
Concentration (Unit : Bq/cm3)
I-131
(8 days)
4.4 x 10-1
2.0 x 101
1.8 x 10-2
Not Detectable
Not Detectable
Not Detectable
Cs-134
(2 years)
6.2 x 100
1.9 x 101
1.6 x 10-1
4.7 x 10-2
Not Detectable
1.4 x 10-2
Cs-137
(30 years)
7.4 x 100
2.2 x 101
1.8 x 10-1
5.1 x 10-2
Not Detectable
1.5 x 10-2
 
    • The concentration of radioactive nuclides from the seawater sampled at the screen device (installed to remove waste before the intake of seawater) of Unit 2 and sampled near the seawater discharge point (south side) of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Station were as follows:
 
Nuclides
(half-life)
Concentration (Unit : Bq/cm3)
Ratio
Sampled inside the silt  fence at the screen of Unit 2
Sampled outside the silt fence at the screen of Unit 2
Sampled at south side discharge point
Maximum Permissible Water Concentration (d)
a / d
b / d
c / d
5/24
6:40AM
  (a)
5/24
6:38AM
(b)
5/24
1:40PM
(c)
I-131
(8 days)
7.9 x 100
4.7 x 10-1
Not Detectable
4.0 x 10-2
200
12
-
Cs-134
(2 years)
4.4 x 100
1.2 x 100
5.3 x 10-2
6.0 x 10-2
73
20
0.88
Cs-137
(30 years)
4.6 x 100
1.3 x 100
5.5 x 10-2
9.0 x 10-2
51
14
0.61
 
    • At 9:00PM on May 25, radiation level at west gate (approximately 3,609 feet from Unit 2 reactor building) of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: 15.5 micro Sv/hour. Other monitoring data at the site are available at:
    • Measurement results of environmental radioactivity level around Fukushima Nuclear Power Station announced at 7:00PM on May 25 are shown in the attached PDF file. Previous data are available at:    http://www.mext.go.jp/english/incident/1304082.htm
 
  • Plant Parameters (As of 6:00AM on May 25)
 
  • Plant Status (As of May 16)
 
 
Our official sources are:
  • Office of The Prime Minister of Japan
  • Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA)
  • Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Press Releases
  • Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
  • Ministry of Defense (MOD)
 
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Taro Ishida
The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan
1901 L Street, NW Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone (202) 530-0769 (Direct)
Phone (202) 466-6781
Fax (202) 466-6758