July 17, 2014

Jul 17, 2014 | Fukushima Accident Updates

  • Japan’s nuke watchdog says the two Sendai units meet the new, strict safety standards. While this is not the final approval for restarts, it is a major step in that direction. The Nuclear Regulation Authority’s decision-making panel approved a draft report saying two reactors at Kyushu Electric Power Co.’s Sendai plant in Kagoshima Prefecture meet all NRA regulations. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the decision is a step forward for Japan, saying, “We’d like to promote the reactivation (of nuclear plants) if the NRA conducts scientific and technological evaluations and it is concluded (that they are) safe.” He added that much work yet needs to be done to finalize the assessment, but Tokyo will work with the NRA on restarts if approval comes from local residents. The NRA has said they will only approve resumptions if residents say it is OK. Some residents say they welcome the decision because the nuke station is indispensable to the community. Others say there should be no restarts because they feel they have not been adequately briefed on the situation. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/07/16/national/sendai-reactors-get-regulators-ok-restart-first-since-fukushima/#.U8ZklaNOUdU – NHK World; Abe, residents near Sendai plant comment; 7/16/14
  • Public hearings on the Sendai restarts will soon occur. The thirty-day period for public input begins today. Public opinions on the unanimous NRA safety decision are being solicited and numerous public hearings will occur. While NRA says the Sendai units meet all safety requirements, NRA Chair Shunichi Tanaka stressed that meeting the criteria does not reduce accident probability to zero. He called on Sendai owner Kyushu Electric to strengthen safety efforts beyond what is required. Further, Tanaka said the the final decision on restart must include local consent from local residents and municipalities. NHK World; Public hearings soon begin on restarting nuclear plant; 7/17/14
  • The NRA announced that the next nukes for final screening are Takahama units 3&4. The nukes are located in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan. NRA Chair Tanaka said, “Related issues have almost been sorted out. I imagine they will be the second.” He added, “I can’t tell when [safety screenings of other reactors will be finished], but they are expected to proceed at a considerable pace.” The Takahama units are both 870 MWe Pressurized Water Reactor systems owned by Kyushu Electric Company. http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2014071600695
  • As expected, antinuclear groups in Japan denounced the NRA’s Sendai announcement. Five antinuclear groups held a joint Press conference on Wednesday. Eisuke Naramoto of the Citizens’ Commission on Nuclear Energy complained that the decision is hasty, which completely ignores the fact that nearly three-and-a-half years have passed  and tens of billions of dollars invested in nuke safety upgrades since 3/11/11. Naramoto further claimed that the Sendai safety measures against natural calamities have not been scientifically examined, even though Kyushu Electric has spent millions of dollars on independent scientific expert studies on the matter and found the two units meet or exceed NRA rules. Two other repeated complaints were voiced – that no adequate evacuation plans for future accidents and the Fukushima accident investigation is not yet completed. What was not mentioned is that both objections are merely rhetorical appeals intended to sway public opinion and promote uncertainty. A protest was held by about 160 people in front of Kyushu Electric’s offices in Tokyo. They chanted that the Sendai units should not be restarted and the NRA is not doing its job by allowing the restarts. NHK World; Anti-nuclear power groups criticize NRA; 7/17/14 (Comment – The above rebuttals of the antinuclear claims are mine and not included in the NHK article….but they ought to be there. I cannot bring myself to report on such empty claims without response. It is clear that the only way to satisfy the antinukes is to keep all 48 units shuttered and continue the current level of electric deficiencies and $40 billion per year cost increases in fossil fuel imports, keeping Japan’s economy in a precariously weakened state.)
  • A public pasture has been reopened in Iwaki City. Iwaki City is located south of F. Daiichi and is outside the government-mandated evacuation zone. Shibayama City closed the 50-hectare meadow because higher-than-standard contamination was found in the grass. Now, seven hectares have fallen below the limit due to decontamination efforts. The city says the Shibayama pasture is the first of the public pastures run by 13 local Fukushima municipalities to reopen. Four farmers brought 10 cows to the pasture on Monday. The city has a $3 per day fee to use the land for grazing. NHK World; First public pasture reopens in Fukushima; 7/15/14
  • The lifting of evacuation orders for Kawauchi Village has been shelved. Tokyo had planned on reopening a small district in the village on July 26, but complaints from district officials and residents forced the plans to be cancelled. Reconstruction Agency Official Takashi Kumagai said, “We will work together with village officials to determine an appropriate schedule. The evacuation orders will not be lifted on July 26.” The district of concern has a population of 329, comprised of 157 households. When Tokyo announced the schedule for cancelling evacuation orders three months ago, only 20 households registered to return. Worst-case annual exposures are well-below the 20 millisievert level which allows for unrestricted repopulation. However, Kawauchi Mayor Yuko Endo has called the move “premature” since a village verification committee has not been established and restoration of some roads has not yet begun. Also, many residents complain that neighboring communities are not allowed to return home, limiting availability of shopping and medical facilities. Dissenting residents add they won’t return until all decontamination wastes have been removed from Kawauchi. http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20140714p2a00m0na007000c.html
  • Fukushima Prefecture has extended the checking of locally harvested rice for radiation. The prefecture says they will continue the screenings until March, 2015. Governor Yuhei Sato said, “We have yet to gain full understanding of the blanket checking program”, indicating that unfounded rumors about Fukushima rice continue to persist. The $7 million per year program is running short of funds, but Tokyo has allowed them to use decontamination subsidies to cover the costs. Fukushima has no idea how long they will be able to keep the program running, but will study the situation facing rice farmers and continue measures to dispel harmful rumors. http://www.fukushimaminponews.com/news.html?id=372
  • Debris removal from unit #3 may have caused rice contamination 20 kilometers away. Last year, rice harvested from 14 locations in Minamisoma, to the north of F. Daiichi, were found to have contamination greater than the national standard of 100 Becquerels per kilogram. The Agriculture Ministry says above-limit Cesium contamination was found outside the rice husks, and debris removal around unit #3 may have stirred up radioactive dust which was carried to the rice paddies by the winds. The rice was impounded. The ministry ordered Tepco to take mitigating measures. The company said they will use chemicals to keep dust from leaving the station during future external debris removal. Tepco also said the unit #3 work might not have been the cause, but they cannot say was is impossible. Minamisoma officials expressed displeasure that the discovery was not announced earlier. NHK World; Debris removal may have caused rice contamination; 7/14/14
  • Tepco says they plan to install new contaminated water tanks at F. Daiichi. The total capacity of the new containers will be around 100,000 tons. The company plans to have 830,000 tons capacity in place by next March. Tepco shared its revised storage plan at a meeting with government officials on Monday. Senior vice industry minister Kazuyoshi Akaba said the risk of radioactive water overflow can be avoided if the tanks are built on schedule. NHK World; TEPCO to build more storage tanks at Fukushima; 7/17/14 [Comment – The issue of contaminated water build-up would be greatly mitigated if the tens of thousands of tons of stored water currently stripped of all isotopes but Tritium would be discharged to the sea. Tritium is the mildly radioactive, naturally-occurring isotope of Hydrogen that poses no risk to anyone (see “Background Information on Tritium” at http://www.hiroshimasyndrome.com/background-information-on-tritium.html). The radiophobic concern relative to Tritium is the only thing keeping Tepco from releasing the ultra-pure waters to the sea.)