Saturday, April 16, 2011

Spike in iodine levels may signal new leak

Samples 6,500 times over limit; Zeolite dumped in sea

AP, Bloomberg, KYODO

Japan nuclear commission fails to send experts to Fukushima+

NRC: MSNBC's review of seismic threat to nuke plants questionable

Levels of Radioactive Materials Rise Near Japanese Plant

The radiation enigma Jeffrey Lewis (Crosscurrents)

The radiation enigma

Jeffrey Lewis (Crosscurrents)

Radioactivity rises in sea off Japan nuclear plant By MARI YAMAGUCHI | AP

Radioactivity rises in sea off Japan nuclear plant

By MARI YAMAGUCHI | AP

Plutonium's Role in a Nuclear Reactor

Quake-forecasting system flawed: expert

"It is time to tell the public frankly that earthquakes cannot be predicted," Geller said in a Nature magazine article published Thursday. "We should instead tell the public and the government to 'prepare for the unexpected' and do our best to communicate both what we know and what we do not."

Spike in iodine levels may signal new leak

Samples 6,500 times over limit; Zeolite dumped in sea

AP, Bloomberg, KYODO

Oil Without Apologies

John Watson, Chevron's CEO, says Americans must stop taking affordable energy for granted. That means more 'oil, gas and coal.'

Understanding U.S. Policy on China-Pakistan Nuclear Deal

Japan Discloses Data on Radioactive Water Release

ANS Nuclear Cafe 48th Carnival of Nuclear Energy Blogs

ANS Nuclear Cafe
48th Carnival of Nuclear Energy Blogs

WHAT WENT WRONG: Fukushima flashback a month after crisis started

TEPCA: The results of nuclide analyses of radioactive materials in the air

Press Release (Apr 16,2011)
The results of nuclide analyses of radioactive materials in the air at the site of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (22nd release)

On March 22nd 2011, as part of monitoring activity of the surrounding 
environment, we conducted nuclide analyses of radioactive materials 
contained in the air which were collected at the site of Fukushima Daiichi 
Nuclear Power Station, which was damaged by the 
Tohoku- Chihou-Taiheiyou-Oki Earthquake. As a result, radioactive 
materials were detected and therefore, we summarized the results and 
reported them to Nuclear and Industry Safety Agency ("NISA") as well as to 
the government of Fukushima Prefecture.

The three nuclides (Iodine-131, Cesium-134 and Cesium-137) are to be 
released as fixed figures, and the other nuclide figures are to be 
revaluated in accordance with the preventive measures formulated after the 
warning from NISA on April 1st.
                                                    (previously announced)

On April 15th 2011, we conducted a nuclide analysis of radioactive 
materials contained in the air which were collected at the site of 
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on the same day. As a result, 
radioactive materials were detected as described in the exhibit. 
Accordingly, we have reported the result of the analysis to NISA and the 
government of Fukushima Prefecture.

We are planning to conduct these surveys continuously.

Appendix: The result of the nuclide analysis of radioactive materials in 
          the air at the site of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
                                                              (PDF 11.7KB)
Appendix: Fukushima Daiichi : the result of the dust nuclide analysis
                                                              (PDF 13.5KB)
Appendix: Fukushima Daini: the result of the dust nuclide analysis
                                                              (PDF 13.9KB)

TEPCA Out flow of fluid containing radioactive materials to the ocean from areas near intake canal of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 (continued report 12)

Press Release (Apr 16,2011)
Out flow of fluid containing radioactive materials to the ocean from areas near intake canal of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Unit 2 (continued report 12)

n April 15th, 2011, we collected samples from seawater in the pit and in 
front of the bar screen near the pit. As a result of the nuclide analysis, 
radioactive materials were detected as described in the attachment. 
Accordingly, we have reported the result of the analysis to NISA and 
Fukushima Prefecture.

TEPCO Update April 16, 2011

Press Releases

Press Release (Apr 16,2011)
Plant Status of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (as of 7:00 pm, April 16)

^*Updates are underlined

All 6 units of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station have been shut down.

Unit 1 (Shut down)
-Explosive sound and white smoke were confirmed after the big quake 
 occurred at 3:36 pm on March 12th. It was assumed to be hydrogen 
 explosion.
-At approximately 2:30 am on March 23rd, seawater injection to the nuclear 
 reactor through the feed water system was initiated.
-From 3:37 pm on March 25th, we started injecting freshwater and are now 
 injecting fresh water by a motor driven pump powered by the off-site 
 transmission line.
-As it is suspected that hydrogen gas is accumulated inside reactor 
 containment vessel, we commenced the valve opening operation concerning 
 injection of nitrogen gas into the reactor container vessel at 10:30 pm 
 April 6th and commenced injection at 1:31am April 7th.

Unit 2(Shut down)
-At approximately 6:00 am on March 15th, an abnormal noise began emanating 
 from nearby Pressure Suppression Chamber and the pressure within the 
 chamber decreased. 
-From 10:10 am on March 26th, we started injecting freshwater to the 
 reactor and are now injecting fresh water by a motor driven pump powered 
 by the off-site transmission line.
-From 7:35 pm on April 12th, we started transferring the high level 
 radioactive accumulated water in the trench of the turbine building to 
 the condenser by an underwater pump. At 5:04pm on April 13th, the 
 scheduled transfer was completed. 

Unit 3(Shut down)
-Explosive sound and white smoke were confirmed at approximately 11:01am 
 on March 14th. It was assumed to be hydrogen explosion.
-From 6:02 pm on March 25th, we started injecting fresh water to the 
 reactor and are now injecting fresh water by a motor driven pump powered 
 by the off-site transmission line.

Unit 4 (outage due to regular inspection)
-At approximately 6:00 am on March 15th, we confirmed the explosive sound 
 and the sustained damage around the 5th floor rooftop area of the Nuclear 
 Reactor Building.
-At this moment, we do not consider any reactor coolant leakage inside the 
 reactor happened.

Unit 5 (outage due to regular inspection)
-Sufficient level of reactor coolant to ensure safety is maintained.
-At 5:00 am on March 19th, we started the Residual Heat Removal System 
 Pump (C) in order to cool the spent fuel pool.
-At 2:30 pm on March 20th, the reactor achieved reactor cold shutdown. At 
 around 5:24 pm on March 23rd, when we switched the temporary Residual 
 Heat Removal System Seawater Pump, it has stopped automatically. At 
 around 4:14 pm on March 24th we replaced the pump, and restarted cooling 
 of reactor at around 4:35 pm.
-At this moment, we do not consider any reactor coolant leakage inside the 
 reactor happened.

Unit 6 (outage due to regular inspection)
-Sufficient level of reactor coolant to ensure safety is maintained.
-At 10:14 pm on March 19th, we started the Residual Heat Removal System 
 Pump (B) of Unit 6 in order to cool the spent fuel pool.
-At 7:27 pm on March 20th, the reactor achieved reactor cold shutdown.
-In relation to the two seawater side pumps of the Residual Heat Removal 
 System, we switched the power source from temporary to permanent at 3:38 
 pm and 3:42 pm, Mar 25 respectively.
-At this moment, we do not consider any reactor coolant leakage inside the 
 reactor happened.

Operation for cooling the spent fuel pools
-From 2:30 pm to 6:29 pm on April 15th, we conducted spraying water to 
 Unit 4 by the concrete pumping vehicle.
-From 10:13 am to 11:54 am on April 16th, we conducted injecting fresh 
 water to Unit 2 by a temporary motor driven pump.
-We will conduct further water spray depending on the conditions of spent 
 fuel pools, if needed.

Others
-The national government has instructed evacuation for those local 
 residents within 20km radius of the periphery and evacuation to inside 
 for those residents from 20km to 30km radius of the periphery, because it 
 is possible that radioactive materials are discharged.
-From 7:03 pm on April 4th to 5:40 pm, April 10th, we discharged to the 
 sea approximately 9,070 tons of the accumulated low level radioactive 
 water stored in the Centralized Radiation Waste Disposal Facility. Also 
 from 9:00 pm on April 4th to 6:52 pm, April 9th, we discharged to the 
 ocean approximately 1,323 tons of the low level radioactive subsurface 
 water stored in the sub drain pits of Unit 5 and 6.
 Regarding radioactive concentrations at measuring points including those 
 adjacent to the power station due to the discharge of the low level 
 radioactive stored water to the ocean, no significant change has been 
 found, though we compared them with the transition of concentrations for 
 a week before the discharge.
 The total amount of emitted radioactivity is approximately 1.5^*10¹¹ 
 Becquerel. We evaluate approximately 0.6 mSv of effective radioactive 
 doses per year per an adult as the impact on the discharge of the low 
 radioactive stored water to the ocean if an adult eats adjacent fish and 
 seaweeds every day. The amount (0.6 mSv of effective radioactive doses 
 per year) is one-forth of annual radioactive dose (2.4 mSv) to which the 
 general public is exposed from nature and equivalent to that when we 
 evaluated before discharging the water to the ocean.
-From 2:30 pm to 3:45 pm on April 15th, we installed 3 sandbags containing 
 zeolite (as an absorbent material) between the screen pump rooms of the 
 Unit 3 and Unit 4.
-From 10:19 am to 5:00 pm on April 15th, we transferred distribution 
 panels of the pumps to inject water to the reactors of Units 1 to 3 as a 
 countermeasure against tsunami.
-We will continue to take all measures to ensure the safety and to 
 continue monitoring the surrounding environment around the power station.

JAIF Reactor Updates 4/16

	2011-04-16 Reactor Status and Major Events Update 95 - NPPs in Fukushima as of 18:00 April ・・・
	2011-04-16 Earthquake Report 54 (280KB)
	2011-04-16 Reactor Status and Major Events Update 94 - NPPs in Fukushima as of 10:00 April ・・・

India vows to improve atomic safety

Mumbai (AFP) April 15, 2011 India should ramp up safety mechanisms at its existing and planned nuclear power plants in the wake of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, environment minister Jairam Ramesh said Friday. "What happened in Fukushima was a wake-up call for all of us and we have to draw the appropriate lessons," he told a news conference in Mumbai, referring to the damage caused to the Japanese plant by the twin disasters on March 11.

Pictures of Tsunami Water Line at the Fukushima Nuclear Plants

INL TALON Robot to Survey Fukushima Nuclear Power Station for Radiation

Chernobyl’s Legacy: Health, Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts and Recommendations to the Governments of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine

Chernobyl

On April 26^th 1986, the most serious nuclear accident in history took place at Unit 4 of the Chernobyl power plant located 130 km north of Kiev, Ukraine. The site had four RBMK-1000 reactors. These reactors are graphite moderated boiling water reactors and did not have a containment structure. Reactor containment is the large and thick concrete and metal structure surrounding the nuclear reactor. Its purpose is to protect the reactor from external damage, and to contain radioactivity in case of a significant reactor failure. By regulation, all western BWR and PWR reactors have to have a containment. Additionally, the RBMK design also had a very large and positive coolant void reactivity coefficient, meaning that as the coolant (i.e. water) temperature increases, the reactor power increases. This positive coefficient is not present in BWRs or PWRs.

A brief summary of the events is presented here, a detailed description can be found at http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/inf07.html. The following document (http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/Chernobyl/chernobyl.pdf) also includes information about the health and environmental effects of Chernobyl accident.

Chernobyl’s Legacy:
Health, Environmental
and Socio-Economic Impacts
and
Recommendations to the
Governments of Belarus,
the Russian Federation and Ukraine

Tepco Moves to Restore Power Supply as Radiation Risks at Fukushima Ease

Japan Discloses Data on Radioactive Water Release

Japan's TEPCO tips radiation-sucking mineral in sea

TEPCO releases new images of crippled nuke plant

Nuclear Cleanup Plans Hinge on Unknowns By HIROKO TABUCHI

Nuclear Cleanup Plans Hinge on Unknowns

By HIROKO TABUCHI

Nuclear Power's Little Problems

Bernard Cohen Professor Emeritus of Physics, University of Pittsburgh

Bernard Cohen

Professor Emeritus of Physics,
University of Pittsburgh

Curriculum Vita


Some of my publications that are most currently useful are accessible below. Items 1-6 and 9 are in PDF format that can be read with Adobe Acrobat. Items 7,8, and 10-16 are text only. . Items 1,2,7,8,14 and 16 deal with our test of the linear-no threshold theory of radiation induced cancer, based on lung cancer rates vs radon exposures in U.S. counties. #7 is the best place to start in reading about that study; it reviews and justifies the procedures, with special emphasis on treatment of confounding factors. #1 is the basic paper published in 1995. #2 is an extension involving substantial additional data. #8 is a less technical fairly recent review of that project, but parts of it are superseded by #7. Several other papers on that study are included in my list of publications in the CV. Item #14 is a response to a criticism of that work published in a British journal. Item #15 is a response to a very interesting observation by Puskin relevant to that work. Item #16 is my response to a letter by Mossman published in the July 2003 edition of Health Physics News. Items 3 and 9 are wide ranging review papers, analyzing the validity of the linear-no threshold theory. Item 4 is the latest version of my Catalog of Risks, my attempt to put the risks we all face into perspective. Items 5, 6, 10, and 11 deal with my work on radioactive waste. #5 gives a rather complete technical treatment of my probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) of wastes from generation of electricity. #10 is a recent brief presentation of the PRA, emphasizing a modified viewpoint. #11 is a less technical broad overview of the risks from high level radioactive waste. #6 deals with the issue of discounting in assessing far future health impacts, such as those considered in items 5,10, and 11. Item 12 is my book �The Nuclear Energy Option� published by Plenum Press in 1990. Figures are missing (few are important for understanding the text) and the editing is deficient, but otherwise, the material is there. Item 13 gives instructions for anyone to access our data on which #1 is based.

Test of Linear-No Threshold Theory: Rationale for Procedures (186 kB HTML)

Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Pittsburgh

Ignorance about Nuclear Power is Killing Us

Articles

Nuclear Power is Our Safest Choice -- Bernard L. Cohen
Most Scientists Reject Radiation Phobia -- Bernard L. Cohen
The Myth of Plutonium Toxicity -- Bernard L. Cohen
The Hazards of Nuclear Power -- Bernard L. Cohen

Books

The Environmental Case for Nuclear Power -- Robert C. Morris (2000)
The Health Hazards of Not Going Nuclear -- Petr Beckmann (1976)
The Nuclear Energy Option -- Bernard L. Cohen (1990)
Hard Green: Saving the Environment from the Environmentalists -- Peter W. Huber (2000)

Chernobyl survivor still backs nuclear energy

Kan Aide Details Nuclear Crisis

What Fukushima tells us

Life after Fukushima: the future of nuclear power in East Asia

April 16th, 2011 Author: Ben Heard, ThinkClimate Consulting

Nuclear power debate: How much of our fear is rooted in propaganda?

Regarding the discharge of the waste water, of which the concentration of radioactive materials exceeds the concentration limit by the notification, to the sea

Press Release (Apr 15,2011) Plant Status of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (as of 6:00 pm, April 15)

Press Release (Apr 15,2011)
Plant Status of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (as of 6:00 pm, April 15)

*Updates are underlined

All 6 units of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station have been shut down.

Unit 1 (Shut down)
-Explosive sound and white smoke were confirmed after the big quake 
 occurred at 3:36 pm on March 12th. It was assumed to be hydrogen 
 explosion.
-At approximately 2:30 am on March 23rd, seawater injection to the nuclear 
 reactor through the feed water system was initiated.
-From 3:37 pm on March 25th, we started injecting freshwater.
-As it is suspected that hydrogen gas is accumulated inside reactor 
 containment vessel, we commenced the valve opening operation concerning 
 injection of nitrogen gas into the reactor container vessel at 10:30 pm 
 April 6th and commenced injection at 1:31am April 7th.

Unit 2 (Shut down)
-At approximately 6:00 am on March 15th, an abnormal noise began emanating 
 from nearby Pressure Suppression Chamber and the pressure within the 
 chamber decreased. 
-From 10:10 am on March 26th, we started injecting freshwater to the 
 reactor and are now injecting fresh water by a motor driven pump powered 
 by the off-site transmission line.
-From 7:35 pm on April 12th, we started transferring the high level 
 radioactive accumulated water in the trench of the turbine building to 
 the condenser by an underwater pump. At 5:04pm on April 13th, the 
 scheduled transfer was completed. 

Unit 3 (Shut down)
-Explosive sound and white smoke were confirmed at approximately 11:01am 
 on March 14th. It was assumed to be hydrogen explosion.
-From 6:02 pm on March 25th, we started injecting fresh water to the 
 reactor and are now injecting fresh water by a motor driven pump powered 
 by the off-site transmission line.

Unit 4 (outage due to regular inspection)
-At approximately 6:00 am on March 15th, we confirmed the explosive sound 
 and the sustained damage around the 5th floor rooftop area of the Nuclear 
 Reactor Building.
-At this moment, we do not consider any reactor coolant leakage inside the 
 reactor happened.

Unit 5 (outage due to regular inspection)
-Sufficient level of reactor coolant to ensure safety is maintained.
-At 5:00 am on March 19th, we started the Residual Heat Removal System 
 Pump (C) in order to cool the spent fuel pool.
-At 2:30 pm on March 20th, the reactor achieved reactor cold shutdown. At 
 around 5:24 pm on March 23rd, when we switched the temporary Residual 
 Heat Removal System Seawater Pump, it has stopped automatically. At 
 around 4:14 pm on March 24th we replaced the pump, and restarted cooling 
 of reactor at around 4:35 pm.
-At this moment, we do not consider any reactor coolant leakage inside the 
 reactor happened.

Unit 6 (outage due to regular inspection)
-Sufficient level of reactor coolant to ensure safety is maintained.
-At 10:14 pm on March 19th, we started the Residual Heat Removal System 
 Pump (B) of Unit 6 in order to cool the spent fuel pool.
-At 7:27 pm on March 20th, the reactor achieved reactor cold shutdown.
-In relation to the two seawater side pumps of the Residual Heat Removal 
 System, we switched the power source from temporary to permanent at 3:38 
 pm and 3:42 pm, Mar 25 respectively.
-At this moment, we do not consider any reactor coolant leakage inside the 
 reactor happened.

Operation for cooling the spent fuel pools
-From 2:08PM, April 15th, we began spraying water to Unit 4 by the 
 concrete pumping vehicle.
-We will conduct further water spray depending on the conditions of spent 
 fuel pools, if needed.

Others
-We measured radioactive materials (iodine etc.) inside of the nuclear 
 power station area (outdoor) by monitoring car and confirmed that 
 radioactive materials level is getting higher than ordinary level. As 
 listed below, we have determined that specific incidents stipulated in 
 article 15, clause 1 of Act on Special Measures Concerning Nuclear 
 Emergency Preparedness (Abnormal increase in radiation dose measured at 
 site boundary) have occurred.
 ·Determined at 4:17 pm Mar 12th (Around Monitoring Post 4 )
 ·Determined at 8:56 am Mar 13th (Around Monitoring Post 4 )
 ·Determined at 2:15 pm Mar 13th (Around Monitoring Post 4 )
 ·Determined at 3:50 am Mar 14th (Around Monitoring Post 6 )
 ·Determined at 4:15 am Mar 14th (Around Monitoring Post 2 ) 
 ·Determined at 9:27 am Mar 14th (Around Monitoring Post 3 ) 
 ·Determined at 9:37 pm Mar 14th (Around main entrance ) 
 ·Determined at 6:51 am Mar 15th (Around main entrance ) 
 ·Determined at 8:11 am Mar 15th (Around main entrance ) 
 ·Determined at 4:17 pm Mar 15th (Around main entrance ) 
 ·Determined at 11:05 pm Mar 15th (Around main entrance )
 ·Determined at 8:58 am Mar 19th (Around MP5)
 Hereafter, if the measured figure fluctuates and goes above and below 500 
 micro Sv/h, we deem that as the continuous same event and will not regard 
 that as a new specific incidents stipulated in article 15, clause 1 of 
 the Act on Special Measures Concerning Nuclear Emergency Preparedness 
 (Abnormal increase in radiation dose measured at site boundary) has 
 occurred. In the interim, if we measure a manifestly abnormal figure and 
 it is evident that the event is not the continuous same event, we will 
 determine and notify.
-The national government has instructed evacuation for those local 
 residents within 20km radius of the periphery and evacuation to inside 
 for those residents from 20km to 30km radius of the periphery, because it 
 is possible that radioactive materials are discharged.
-From April 2nd, we began to transfer the radioactive water we collected 
 from the Central Environmental Facility to the Unit 4 turbine building. 
 On April 4th, water level of the pit in the trench of Unit 3 increased by 
 15cm from previous day. Pathway of water flow is unknown. We can not deny 
 the possibility that water in the turbine building of Unit 4 flows into 
 the trench of Unit 3. So, we stopped transferring water to the Unit 4 
 turbine building to make assurance. Present water level of the pit in the 
 trench of Unit 3 is not changed from the time we stopped transferring, 
 and is being stable.
-From 7:03 pm on April 4th, we started to discharge to the sea 
 approximately ten thousand tons of the accumulated low level radioactive 
 water in the Central Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility. We are 
 confirming the amount of discharged water. From 9:00 pm on April 4, we 
 conducted discharging a total of 1,500 tons of the low level radioactive 
 subsurface water stored in the sub drain pits of Unit 5 and 6. The amount 
 of discharged water was approximately 1,323 tons.
-From 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm, April 5th, in order to prevent diffusion of 
 radioactive contaminated water out from the site port facility to 
 breakwater area which is south to the power station, we began repair of 
 breakwater by founding the large sandbag around it to replace damaged 
 steel water bar. We will continue the operation to prevent diffusion. 
 From 8:45 am to 10:45 am on April 11, in order to prevent water 
 containing radioactive material from spilling from a plant's port to the 
 sea, we conducted works to install 120m wide double silt fences around a 
 breakwater on the south of the station. From 8:45 am to 1:50 pm on April 
 13, we installed silt fences (double layered) in front of Unit 3 and 4 
 screens, and from 7:45 am to 0:20 pm on April 14 we also installed the 
 same in front of Unit 1 and 2 screens, and around the north of south 
 breakwater.
-We took a sample from Unit 4 spent fuel pool on 12th April, in order to 
 understand the fuel condition stored within the spent fuel pool. We are 
 planning to conduct a nuclide analysis.
-From 8:02 to 9:55 am on April 15th, an unmanned helicopter was flown over 
 Unit 1 to 4, in order to check the condition of the reactor buildings. 
-We will continue to take all measures to ensure the safety and to 
 continue monitoring the surrounding environment around the Power Station.

JAIF Reactor Status Report 4/16

2011-04-16
Reactor Status and Major Events Update 94 - NPPs in Fukushima as of 10:00 April 16 (Estimated by JAIF)
110416FukushimaEventStatus-94e_page1-4
110416FukushimaEventStatus-94e_page5-6

Japan’s Great Earthquake: Societal Resilience and Determination to Reconstruct (Video)

from CFR.org - The Council on Foreign Relations by Council on Foreign Relations

Masaaki Shirakawa, governor of the Bank of Japan, discusses the effects the March earthquake, tsunami, and events surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant had on the Japanese economy, as well as the resilience and adaptability of the Japanese people.
This meeting was part of the C. Peter McColough Series on International Economics.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Killing the Unborn ... With Radiation

from Washington's Blog by Washington's Blog

Preface: I am not against all nuclear power, solely the unsafe type we have today.

Japan Plant Fuel Melted Partway Through Reactors: Report

from GSN Daily News

Nuclear fuel has melted in three reactors at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant and fallen to the lower sections of their container vessels, raising the specter of overheated material compromising a container and causing a massive radiation release, the Atomic Energy Society of Japan said in a report released on Friday (see GSN, April 15).

The group played down the possibility of a container breach, though, noting that only a small amount of fuel had melted so far and affected material had assumed a granulated structure and remained relatively cool, Kyodo News reported.

Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes: Fukushima’s future blueprints are incomplete, danger persists

This is an important read.

Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes

Fukushima’s future blueprints are incomplete, danger persists

Decommissioning plans must wait for stable reactor conditions

What Japan's nuclear crisis means for public health (Q&A)

Three Mile Island fuel modules at DOE facility cracking

Washington (Platts)--15Apr2011/719 pm EDT/2319 GMT

The US Department of Energy facility storing melted fuel from the Three Mile Island nuclear plant has not done enough to address crumbling concrete modules encasing the radioactive material, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission said in a letter made public Friday.

The DOE facility at the Idaho National Laboratory holds the damaged fuel from unit 2 of the Three Mile Island Plant, which, in 1979, suffered a partial meltdown of the core, leading to the US' worst nuclear accident.

The so-called spent fuel rubble is now contained in concrete storage modules located at an independent storage installation owned by DOE.

Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes Stop the Sensationalism on MOX Fuel Guest blog post by Jacques Besnainou, CEO, Areva, Inc

Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes

Stop the Sensationalism on MOX Fuel

Guest blog post by Jacques Besnainou, CEO, Areva, Inc

Groups Petition NRC to Suspend Nuclear Projects

Request includes an independent commission to conduct risk assessment.

By Jonathan Katz

What does 'safe' mean in a nuclear disaster? (Q&A)

Fukushima stable, but radioactive water problem continues - April 15, 2011

Democrats warm to nuclear, domestic drilling

Capitol Report

April 15, 2011, 2:00 p.m. EDT

Democrats warm to nuclear, domestic drilling

Nuclear Inspectors' May be Limited on US Review, Markey Says

Markey criticizes nuclear inspections in letter

Busby makes absurd claim that 400,000 will die from Fukushima radiation releases -actual number will be zero

FEPC Update to Information Sheet Regarding the Tohoku Earthquake 4/15

Update to Information Sheet Regarding the Tohoku Earthquake

The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPC) Washington DC Office

As of 11:50AM (EST), April 15, 2011

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/

Radiation Levels

On April 14, TEPCO announced the results of the analysis of groundwater samples from sub-drain pits at Unit 1 to 6 of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The concentration of radioactive nuclides were as follows:

	Unit 1	Unit 2	Unit 3	Unit 4	Unit 5	Unit 6
Samples taken at	4/13 11:40AM	4/13 11:50AM	4/13 11:25AM	4/13 11:20AM	4/13 12:00PM	4/13 12:10PM
Nuclides (half-life)	Concentration (Unit : Bq/cm³)
I-131 (8 days)	4.0 x 10²	6.1 x 10²	3.6 x 10⁰	1.7 x 10¹	1.6 x 10^-1	1.9 x 10^-1
Cs-134 (2 years)	5.3 x 10¹	7.9 x 10⁰	2.4 x 10⁰	2.7 x 10⁰	2.7 x 10^-1	2.6 x 10^-1
Cs-137 (30 years)	6.0 x 10¹	9.1 x 10⁰	2.4 x 10⁰	2.7 x 10⁰	2.8 x 10^-1	2.8 x 10^-1

On April 15, TEPCO announced the result of discharge of low level radioactive water stored at the Central Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility and accumulated water at the sub-drain pits of Unit 5 and 6 to the ocean. The details are available at: http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11041507-e.html

§ The total radioactive content of discharge: approximately 1.5 x 10¹¹Bq

§ Discharge amount from the Central Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility: approximately 9,070 tons (from 7:03PM on April 4 to 5:40PM on April 10)

§ Discharge amount from sub-drain pits of Unit 5 and 6: approximately 1,323 tons (from 9:00PM on April 4 to 6:52PM on April 9)

§ TEPCO has not detected major changes of the concentration of nuclides in the seawater sampled at several measuring points near Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, compared with the samples that were taken during the week before the discharge.

(As reported on April 4, these discharges were performed in order to accommodate higher level radioactive water in the Central Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility and to prevent important equipment of Unit 5 and 6 from being submerged.)

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
Nuclides (half-life)	Sampled at the screen of Unit 2 at 7:40AM on April 14 (a)	Sampled at south side discharge point at 2:00PM on April 14 (b)	Maximum Permissible Water Concentration (c)	a / c	b / c
I-131 (8 days)	4.2 x 10¹	1.2 x 10⁰	4.0 x 10^-2	1,100	30
Cs-134 (2 years)	3.3 x 10¹	7.9 x 10^-1	6.0 x 10^-2	550	13
Cs-137 (30 years)	3.3 x 10¹	8.1 x 10^-1	9.0 x 10^-2	370	9

At 4:00PM (JST) on April 15, radiation level at main gate (approximately 3,281 feet from Unit 2 reactor building) of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: 69 micro Sv/hour.
At 4:00PM on April 15, radiation level at west gate (approximately 3,609 feet from Unit 2 reactor building) of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: 35.8 micro Sv/hour.
Measurement results of environmental radioactivity level around Fukushima Nuclear Power Station announced at 7:00PM on April 15 are shown in the attached PDF file. English version is available at: http://www.mext.go.jp/english/radioactivity_level/detail/1304082.htm
For comparison, a human receives 2,400 micro Sv per year from natural radiation in the form of sunlight, radon, and other sources. One chest CT scan generates 6,900 micro Sv per scan.

Plant Parameters

	Unit 1	Unit 2	Unit 3	Unit 4	Unit 5	Unit 6
pressure inside the reactor core (gauge pressure, MPa)	0.430	-0.018	-0.021	-	0.003	0.009
pressure inside the reactor core (gauge pressure, MPa)	4/15 12:00PM	4/15 12:00PM	4/15 12:00PM	-	4/15 2:00PM	4/15 2:00PM
pressure inside the primary containment vessel (absolute pressure, MPaabs)	0.190	0.090	0.104	-	-	-
	4/15 12:00PM	4/15 12:00PM	4/15 12:00PM	-	-	-
water level inside the reactor core (meter) *1	-1.65	-1.5	-1.8	-

...

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Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire

Saturday, April 16, 2011

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