July 2, 2013

Jul 2, 2013 | Fukushima Accident Updates

  • A new well at F. Daiichi shows elevated levels of radioactive isotopes. The total Beta activity is 3,000 Becquerels per liter. The isotopes detected include Strontium-90. The new groundwater sampling well is near the plant’s small shipping quay, located about 6 meters from the shoreline. It is one of the four new wells dug after finding Tritium and Strontium in groundwater near unit #2, in May. Jiji Press posted the misleading headline “Highly Toxic Groundwater Found near TEPCO N-Plant Port”, which was copied by most of the Japanese Press. The Press says there are suspicions that the material may be leaking to the sea because elevated tritium levels were detected at the unit #1 intake structure inside the quay. A Tepco official said, “It’s true that radioactive contamination has been found from groundwater near the sea.” The NRA says it is “highly likely” that contamination has leaked into the port’s waters.  http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0000346561 — http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/06/30/national/toxic-groundwater-found-in-fukushima-no-1-well-just-6-meters-from-pacific/#.UdAquevD8dU
  • A small rubbish fire at F. Daiichi made numerous headlines in Japan. A pile of cardboard had been temporarily-placed outside the station’s incinerator building and a worker noticed it was burning at 12:48pm today. The fire brigade arrived at 1:23pm and had the fire out at 1:37pm. Tepco made the perfunctory statement that no-one was harmed and no radioactive releases had occurred. However, many Japanese Press sources treated this as yet another example of F. Daiichi struggling with a growing number of incidents. Most Press took this opportunity to remind the public of recent radioactive water leaks and how “improvised” fixes at the site leave it vulnerable to problems with “no end in sight”. One paper went so far as to post “people remain concerned with the possible changes of radiation levels in the facility. According to critics, the improvised remedies used at the power plant cause it to become susceptible to a number of incidents.” How a small rubbish fire actually equates with minor water leaks and the auxiliary technology being used, is a complete mystery. http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/small-fire-reported-at-fukushima-nuclear-plant — http://japandailypress.com/fire-breaks-out-at-fukushima-nuclear-power-plant-0231585 comment – The rubbish that ought to be burned is the overt use of fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) being foisted on the Japanese public by the Press. This may be the most ridiculous example of Fukushima FUD to date.
  • Tepco says that the last of F. Daiichi’s underground water cisterns has been drained. The last of the leaking reservoirs was emptied on June 11. In order to insure against any future leaks from the non-leaking cisterns, Tepco has drained them all. The final one to be emptied had contained about 3,000 tons of mildly-contaminated seawater from the basements of undamaged units #5&6. http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2013/07/233586.html
  • Tepco will send reminders to 11, 000 Fukushima residents to apply for accident compensation. More than 160,000 either evacuated their homes or stayed indoors during the months after 3/11/11. They all qualify for Tepco pay-outs. However, 11,000 stragglers must apply before the statute runs out in March, 2014. The Tepco reminders have been mandated by the Fukushima Revitalization Headquarters. Headquarters chief Yoshiyuki Ishizaka says the company should find ways to prevent residents from missing out on the compensation. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130628_38.html
  • Numerous Press articles have been posted about a shipment of Mixed Oxide nuclear fuel arriving in Japan. Several Japanese nukes mix MOX with ordinary Uranium fuel bundles – Takahama unit #3, Ikata unit #3 and Genkai unit #3. Fukushima Daiichi unit #3 also used MOX, but that is now moot. MOX fuel combines recycled Plutonium with Uranium as a fission source. Typically, about 25% of the new installed fuel is MOX. The 20 fuel cells received this past week were fabricated in France. While nearly all Press outlets erroneously called MOX bomb-grade because of the small percentage of Plutonium in the fuel pins, one source (The Japan News/Yomiuri Shimbun) made no nuclear weapon connection. http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0000341854
  • Millions of dollars in quake and tsunami recovery funds have been used to subsidize fossil-fueled power plant operations. More than $90 million was set aside as a “subsidy to facilitate thermal power generation” to off-set the loss of their nukes during the moratorium. Chubu Electric Co. received almost $20 million for fossil-fuel replacement power. The subsidy also allows the Shizuoka prefectural thermal effluent research center about $60-70 million. The center is a fish breeding facility that uses warm water from the Hamaoka nuclear station, but had to shut down because of the moratorium. The Industry Ministry says the shutdown was the fault of the government and the subsidy was given. But, they have since changed their mind and want the money returned and used for Tohoku recovery. While none of the money has actually gone to nuclear power plants, the news media is upset because the money has used by private utilities that have idled nukes. Japan Daily Press ran the headline “Government uses quake recovery funds to help out nuclear facility”. It should be noted that at least $100 million was spent on projects completely unrelated to Tohoku recovery and the Ministry is trying to get that money back, too. http://japandailypress.com/government-uses-quake-recovery-funds-to-help-out-nuclear-facility-2831402
  • The governor of Niigata Prefecture says the new NRA safety regulations are inadequate. Governor Hirohiko Izumida says “Even if the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant run by Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) meets new safety requirements set by the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA), it won’t mean its safety is guaranteed. Setting safety standards without getting to the bottom of the Fukushima nuclear disaster provides no guarantee of safety.” He also believes the NRA fails to listen to local officials concerned about drawing up emergency plans, saying that “Such an absurd stance is totally unheard of.” He further wants assurance that a nuclear plant will never be abandoned even in the most severe accident, “Abandoning the site of a serious accident could result in a meltdown. Unless the government determines how to respond to such a situation, we can’t say it has gotten to the bottom of the Fukushima accident. The NRA standards alone won’t ensure the safety of prefectural residents.” It thus seems Izumida has no intention of agreeing to restart of any of Tepco’s seven Kashiwazaki-Kariwa units located in his Prefecture. http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130629p2a00m0na016000c.html
  • Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party has formally opposed a no-nukes future for the nation. LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba said Tokyo should not mis-lead the public by rejecting nuclear power. He said the party wants to reduce reliance on nukes, but they need to restart all plants that meet the new safety requirements in order to secure a stable supply of electricity now and in the foreseeable future. The eight minority opposition parties in the Diet said they will not stop pushing for no-nukes, regardless of what the now-in-power LDP says.  http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2013062900300
  • Tepco has agreed to release information on residents yet to file compensation claims. Of the 165,000 who Tokyo says qualify for the money, 11,000 have not filed. By releasing the data, local governments can pursue having these people file before the statute expires in 2014. Tepco cannot post the data publically without violating the Personal Information Protection Law, thus the information must go through the local governments. Tepco official Yoshiyuki Ishizaka said that even if residents file after the statute runs out, the company will honor their requests. Tepco also announced they will begin acceptance of applications for contaminated mountain and forested properties in September. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/06/30/national/municipalities-ask-tepco-for-residents-data-to-expedite-redress/#.UdArKuvD8dU