December 25, 2014

Dec 25, 2014 | Fukushima Accident Updates

  • Four more Fukushima children may have thyroid cancer. All of them cleared the initial screenings in 2011. The screening panel says there is not enough evidence to prove the cancers were caused by the nuke accident because exposures to radioactive Iodine were very low. Further, none of the four lived in areas of high exposures. The panel also said much is unknown about the reasons for the development of child thyroid cancers, so they will continue close monitoring of the ~380,000 individuals. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html
  • Japan’s nuclear watchdog considers evacuation planning for F. Daiichi. The Nuclear Regulation Authority is looking at evacuation needs around the nuke station in case another accident occurs that could release radioactive material. The specific worst-case scenarios during the decommissioning period that might warrant evacuation have not been posted in the Press. Because a mandated evacuation zone currently exists around F. Daiichi, the NRA is pondering guidelines that would apply to this one location. The agency says the 30 kilometer emergency planning zone mandated for all nukes also applies to F. Daiichi, but just how that will be handled given the existing situation needs to be addressed. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html
  • The restart of two Sendai Station units is further delayed. A documentation revision by the NRA is cited as the reason. It was anticipated that the restart of Sendai units #2&3 would happen early in 2015. It is now felt this will not happen until March, at the earliest. The two different forms of new NRA-mandated documentation are submittal and approval of construction plans that describe the facility’s design in detail, and the rules for operation and emergency response. Kyushu Electric, Sendai station owner, says submittal will not happen until early in 2015. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20141225_06.html
  • Japan Atomic Power plans to send a team of 100 decommissioning experts to F. Daiichi. Japco has more than a decade of experience in nuclear plant dismantling of a unit at Tokai station. If the plans become a reality, it is hoped that the decommissioning schedule for F. Daiichi will be accelerated. Prior to the nuke accident, Tokyo Electric Company had no experience in dismantling a nuke. They have literally been learning on the fly, with some international expertise supplementing the company’s effort. One of Japco’s specialties is the use of remote-control robotics to facilitate project operation in areas of very high radiation exposures. This could be a significant boon to the defueling of units #1&3, where radiation levels are much higher than those with recently defueled unit #4. http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201412250035
  • The Industry Ministry recommends financial revisions for decommissioning older nukes. By the end of March, four utilities could decide to scrap as many as five currently-idled nuclear units since they are all nearing the new 40-year licensing period for operation. The Ministry announcement calls for special accounting to assist in the process. It also calls for ending subsidies paid to the host communities. On the other hand, the Ministry says they will consider steps to support regional economies that lose the subsidies. The report states, “Without a clear future vision for our nation’s nuclear power, including how to make up for electricity supply that would be lost as a result of reactor decommissioning, (utilities and local host communities) will find it difficult to decide whether to scrap nuclear reactors.” Another part of the report seems to suggest that new nuclear plants might be needed, and poses this as a possible option. It says nuclear generation remains “as significant as renewables” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and “the government should clarify its stance on building new reactors as well as replacement of (old) reactors with new ones while promoting understanding of nuclear power among the public.” http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html  — http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2014/12/328934.html
  • Tokyo will modify the “feed in tariff” for electricity generated by renewables. In 2012, the government ruled that utilities must purchase all electricity produced by renewables, such as solar and wind, at prices well-above the existing market. This was called a feed-in tariff. As part of the ruling, the increased costs were passed on to electric ratepayers. The tariff guaranteed an immediate return on investment to companies deciding to build renewable generation systems. The tariff immediately spawned an unanticipated frenzy of solar and wind construction across Japan. However, the large influx of this inherently irregular electricity supply has upset at least five transmission systems to the point where the utilities said they cannot guarantee reliability, and stopped accepting new suppliers. It seems no-one had foreseen the major impact caused by the feed-in tariff.  In mid-January, the Industry Ministry will implement a new rule allowing utilities to limit renewable input to their transmission systems if renewable supplies exceed what the transmission systems can accommodate. Solar builders are concerned that there will be a sharp decrease in orders for new solar units, and might cause some now under construction to be cancelled. A Ministry official responded, “Utilities need to carefully explain to what extent they are going to restrict output, so that prospective solar power plant operators can calculate the risk.”  http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20141223p2a00m0na007000c.html 
  • (Comment – The feed-in tariff had created an idyllic financial situation for renewable construction that promised no limits on profit for up to 20 years. The current situation has brought the subtle but significant realities of transmission and distribution to the fore-front. An objective overview of the situation has been posted by Nippon.com, “Clouds on the Horizon for Solar Power in Japan”, with a detailed explanation of the cost of electricity that was, and still is, guaranteed by Tokyo. For example, solar supplies greater than 10 kilowatts are assured rates of more than 29¢/kwh. This can be compared to the average cost of electricity of 12¢/kwh in America. The extensive article can be accessed at… http://www.nippon.com/en/currents/d00147/)