- TEPCO reports the new waste water treatment system, SARRY, was shut down Monday in order to remove a clump of sludge from piping in the system. The sludge was discovered due to a hot spot found by radiation monitoring. The system was out of service for 12 hours and no worker received more than 3.5 msv exposure. NHK World called the hot spot a “radiation leak”, which further demonstrates the critical need to educate Japan’s Press on radiation realities.
- NHK World also reports that on March 7 TEPCO told NISA of the possibility of a 10 meter high Tsunami. The article says TEPCO actually discovered the possibility in 2008. Why they waited until 2011 to submit their findings is a mystery. Would expeditious submittal have resulted in safety changes that might have averted the Fukushima accident?
- JAIF reports that on Friday TEPCO is going to try an alternative flow path for water to #3 RPV in the hope of possibly reducing water flow needed to remove decay heat. The new flow path is described as “injecting water directly onto the facility’s fuel”. This sounds like either the feedwater sparger or core spray sparger, both of which are inside the RPV shroud and above where the melted-down core used to be located. The spargers are pipes encircling the inner upper area of the RPV with numerous holes in them to spray cooling water. If this is successful, will TEPCO do the same for RPVs 1 & 2?
- The Japanese government has revised its estimate of how much radioactive material was released by Fukushima Daiichi from March 11 to April 5. The main reason for the reduction is a close analysis of radiation readings at the plant site and elsewhere in Fukushima Prefecture on March 15, after the hydrogen explosion of unit #4. It seems the March 15 releases were actually about half of the original estimates. The Nuclear safety Commission says it has a high degree of confidence in the new estimate.
- Japan’s Science Ministry has completed what they believe is the most extensive aerial survey of radiation levels in Fukushima and its three adjacent Prefectures. They have not released the data because they are continuing the survey over 18 other Prefectures in order to get reasonably confident comparative numbers. To no-one’s surprise, the highest readings were within the 3km evacuation radius of Fukushima Daiichi, and indicate it may be years before people in that area will be allowed to return home. When completed, this might be the most comprehensive background-based survey ever attempted, and should reveal some interesting information.
- The source of the latest Fukushima beef cattle Cesium issue has been discovered. All 12 of the most recent “tainted” carcasses came from the same farm, and the farmer was feeding them hay from an open-air storage structure on the property. With only a roof above, and no walls to block airborne radioactivity, the hay became contaminated. Since no other farm’s beef seems to have spawned above-health-standard Cesium levels in their cattle, the Prefecture would like Tokyo to lift the current beef ban and limit it to the affected farm only.
- Now that the 1,300 Mwe Kashiwa nuke has been shut down for refueling and maintenance, TEPCO has announced they will try and avoid an electricity shortfall by installing new gas turbines at their “thermal” stations. Once again, Japan is trading the theoretical risks of radiation for the actual risks of fossil fuel pollution.
- NHK World says the Japanese government has announced they have drafted a basic plan for decontamination of the zones that need it. This is not only in the 20km no-go zone and the northwest corridor extending more than 30km, but also other locations found to be “hot spots”. The plan includes power-washing the roofs and sides of buildings and houses, mud removal from drainage ditches, power-rinsing of cracks in asphalt roads, as well as vegetation trimming of contaminated leaves and stems. Finally, all soils reading above government limits will be stripped and discarded. The detailed report is to be released on Friday.
- The government-sponsored independent panel investigating the causes of the Fukushima accident have interviewed 126 individuals covering more than 300 hours of inquiry. However, the head of the panel, Yotaro Hatamura, says they are not close to completion. The group has interviewed plant operators, TEPCO executives, and government officials. Few of the sessions have been public, and much of what has been uncovered has not been shared with the Press. Hatamura says this is because the four teams of panel investigators are researching independently. When finished, they will combine their findings in one comprehensive document. Hatamura admits some new discoveries have been made which have not been in the news or any official record to date, but he declined to say what they are.
- A Kyodo News poll of Fukushima parents who have transferred their children to schools in other Prefectures, shows that more than 70% did this because they fear radiation. Their main fear is a lack of evidence on the long term negative health effects of radiation exposure.Have any of them ever heard of radiation hormesis? There is no data on negative health effects with low level exposures because all health effects are beneficial. (see our “Radiation : The No Safe Level Myth” page)
Meanwhile, back in the States…
- This final item is being mentioned because of considerable western news media interest…the 5.9 Richter scale earthquake centered in Virginia on Tuesday caused a widespread blackout of a large part of the state. Included in the blackout area is the North Anna nuke. It shut down automatically when the quake happened, and all four of its primary emergency diesels started automatically when the blackout happened. One of the diesels stopped working because of a leak in its cooling system, but the other three continued to provide power. A fifth diesel was started to replace it. There are seven days of diesel fuel stored on site. Off-site power was restored on Tuesday night. All RPV cooling systems are operating, there have been no radioactive releases, and the plant is in a safe condition. The news media’s rhetorical attempts to make it sound like another Fukushima are groundless.
