November 10, 2014

Nov 10, 2014 | Fukushima Accident Updates

  • A second roof panel has been removed from the unit #1 temporary enclosure. The roof is comprised of six such poly sheets. The first panel was taken off last month and Tepco waited to see if any radioactive dust would be released before removing the second. So far, no detectible releases have occurred. Tepco will continue monitoring for about another month now that the opening has been doubled. If nothing is detected, full-scale enclosure dismantling will begin in March. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html   Pictures of the removal of the second roof panel can be found here… http://photo.tepco.co.jp/en/date/2014/201411-e/141110-01e.html
  • American safety consultant Dale Klein praised the milestone of completing the used fuel removal from F. Daiichi unit #4. The former US Nuclear Regulatory Commission chair said, “Tepco is to be congratulated for this success. The processes used in planning for and successfully executing this complex year-long effort demonstrated that Tepco is incorporating concepts from its new safety culture into its work. As attention shifts to the other units this is not the time to become complacent, as challenges will be even greater, but I am confident that Tepco and its partners are approaching them appropriately.” Tepco CEO Naomi Hirose echoed Dr. Klein’s sentiments, “This is a great achievement by our workers and the partners with whom we are collaborating.” He added, “They combined brilliant engineering with hard work to make this operation possible, and to execute it flawlessly and safely.” http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/2014/1243876_5892.html
  • Sendai station has the required local support for restart. Kagoshima Prefectural Assembly passed a petition to resume operations and Governor Yuichiro Ito agree soon after. The Assembly’s extraordinary meeting was continually disrupted by about 200 prefecture residents, and the announcement of the petition’s passage was barely audible above the shouts of the angry audience. The protestors were loud, boisterous, and well-orchestrated. Their complaints included fears of a volcano causing another nuke accident, claims that the decision is hasty and not well-considered, the public’s feelings on the matter are being ignored, and assertions that evacuation plans are inadequate. After his approval was granted, Governor Ito said, “The plans drawn up by the central government for evacuation are concrete and logical.” Mayor Seiichi Tabata of nearby Ichikikushikino strongly disagreed with the governor, claiming that his constituency lives within the 30km emergency planning zone and their input was not sought, thus safely evacuating Ichikikushikino would not be possible. The assembly vote was not unanimous, however. One official stated, “The Sendai nuclear power plant has not been shown to be completely safe. It’s too soon to draw a conclusion.” About a dozen citizens from Fukushima Prefecture were in attendance and voiced similar dissent. One said, “The disaster taught us that there’s no such thing as a safe nuclear power plant, and that humans and nuclear power can’t coexist.” Another dissenter complained, “We are seeing one fait accompli after another. I don’t want the children and grandchildren of the future to have to pay the price.”  http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/regional-authorities-ok-restart-of-sendai-nuclear-plant — http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/11/07/national/kagoshima-assembly-oks-restart-two-sendai-reactors/#.VF0HU6N0wdV — http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001702392 — http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20141107p2a00m0na021000c.html
  • Minamata disease victims also oppose the Sendai restart. The ailment has nothing to do with radiation, but is actually an effect of Mercury ingestion. The town of Minamata is about 60km north of Sendai station in Kumamoto Prefecture. An antinuclear group called “Stop restarting nuclear plants Minamata”, was formed in September by eight town residents including three with the disease. The group’s anti-Sendai complaints have been given major news coverage by the Asahi Shimbun and the Nuclear Information Resource Service. Group head Koichiro Matsunaga argued,  “If they miss the danger of nuclear plants because of economic priorities, they have not learned the lessons from Minamata disease. While human lives should take priority, the priority has been placed on corporate profits. (The government) has not learned lessons from Minamata and Fukushima.” He added that evacuation planning is insufficient and Tokyo cannot guarantee people’s security. NIRS cites a similar feeling on the part of Aileen Mioko Smith, executive director of Green Action, who says, “The Kagoshima Governor has failed to learn the lessons of Fukushima and to act to protect the interests of the people of his region.” NIRS also reports that Kumamoto Prefecture feels they should be involved in the Sendai decision, even though none of the prefecture is inside the 30km evacuation zone. Kumamoto wants the NRA to issue regulations for radiation exposure outside of 30 km and Tokyo to provide financial support for evacuees should an accident occur. The government has not responded to any of this.  http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201411090008 — http://www.nirs.org/fukushima/greenactionprsendai11714.pdf
  • A Tochigi Town’s Mayor rejects Tokyo’s siting plan for the Prefecture’s rural radioactive material disposal. Shioya Mayor Kazuhisa Mikata met with other mayors and Environment Minister Yoshio Mochizuki concerning the planning process. Mikata said he opposes the planning because “The disposal facility could threaten the town’s survival. … Such waste should be treated intensively in the most contaminated areas.” He wants all of the prefecture’s accumulated radioactive material taken to Fukushima Prefecture for final disposal. However, Minister Mochizuki dismissed the mayor’s demand, saying, “Our idea that such waste should be disposed of in various prefectures remains unchanged. We can’t place any more burden on Fukushima Prefecture.” Tochigi Gov. Tomikazu Fukuda wants the highest level materials separated from wastes with the lesser activity, and also does not want the prefecture’s future facility listed as “final”. Mochizuki said the suggestion will be considered. http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20141110p2a00m0na005000c.html
  • The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun) has posted a listing of nuke safety check status with all 13 of the nation’s stations. It seems the nukes at the top of the restart list are all Pressurized Water Reactor systems. However, Boiling Water reactor sites are included in the listing. http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001704865