April 20, 2015

Apr 20, 2015 | Fukushima Accident Updates

  • 530 Fukushima evacuees sue Tokyo for allowing them to go home. On December 8th, the government lifted the evacuation order for 142 “hot spots” in Minamisoma City. The reason was that the radiation levels were measured to be less than the international guideline for evacuation, which is 20 millisieverts per year. However, the Minamisoma plaintiffs claim that the repopulation standard is only one mSv/yr, thus the government is not protecting the health and safety of its citizens. The plaintiffs also demand 100,000 yen ($850) each in damages.  For “hot spots” estimated to exceed 20 mSv/yr located outside the mandated evacuation zone, evacuation is voluntary. In addition, those who lived in the “hot spots” are entitled to subsidized medical treatment and the receipt of regular “consolation” compensation. These perks last for one year after the restriction is lifted. Tokyo’s response to the suit is that the lifting of the “hot spot” restriction is based on scientific findings, and they have been diligent in trying to “gain understanding from local residents”.  http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/04/17/national/crime-legal/530-minamisoma-residents-sue-government-hot-spot-delisting/#.VTD5dKMcQdU — http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2015/04/347764.html
  • The second robotic inspection inside the unit #1 containment shows no damage to any of the pumps, ventilation system enclosure, pipes, cabling, or valves. In addition, little debris was seen, unlike last week’s first robotic look on the opposite side or the reactor pressure vessel pedestal. Also, a comparison of detected radiation levels shows something interesting. Last week, one radiation reading taken next to one of the recirculation pumps was 9.7 Sieverts/hour – which resulted in numerous headlines. The second robot’s reading at the Recirculation Pump on the other side of the pedestal was about 5 Sv/hr. In fact, all readings near the two recirculation pumps showed a similar trend. Meanwhile, readings taken in other parallel locations were about the same for both robots. Of note, Tepco says the radiation levels inside the PCV are much lower than anticipated; less than a tenth of what was expected. On Saturday, Tepco announced that they have positively identified that the basement of the primary containment is flooded. A one minute and 20 second period of video footage showed light reflecting off the surface of water below the walkway grating where the robot is located. The company estimates the water is 2.8 meters (~9 feet) deep. This conforms to prior estimates. http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/handouts/2015/images/handouts_150417_01-e.pdf — http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/handouts/2015/images/handouts_150413_01-e.pdf — http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/2015/1249780_6844.html — http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20150417_42.html
  • The second robot in unit #1 containment has been abandoned. After completing its planned inspection, it was decided to use the second robot to look at the first, abandoned more than a week ago. It seems that one side of the robot is turned on its side, and the other part is blocked by a “structural object”. Photo and video of the first, stranded robot can be found here… http://photo.tepco.co.jp/en/date/2015/201504-e/150420-01e.html  When attempting to resume the inspection on Monday (today), it was found that the 2nd robot’s camera was no longer working. Without the camera, it was not possible to navigate the torturous path back to its point of origin, so the connecting cable was severed. Tepco believes the camera succumbed to the high radiation exposure it received over the weekend. However, data on radiation levels and temperature were received until the connection was cut. http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html — http://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2015042000415 — http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2015/04/20/tepo-to-abandon-second-robot-inside-fukushima-reactor/  The latest Tepco Press handout on the second robot and its abandonment can be found here… http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/handouts/2015/images/handouts_150420_01-e.pdf
  • Rural contaminated waste in Chiba Prefecture to be stored on Tepco property. The government plans to have the nearly 3,700 tons moved available apace at one of the Tepco power stations on the shoreline of Tokyo Bay. It is several kilometers from residential areas. Chiba Prefecture is more than 200 kilometers south of F. Daiichi, on a peninsula just east of Tokyo City.  http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclear.html
  • Voluntary Fukushima evacuees face an uncertain future. They are categorized as voluntary because they come from locations outside the Tokyo-mandated exclusion zone and fled out of fear of radiation exposure. The roughly 50,000 voluntaries remain estranged because they remain in mortal fear of returning home and being exposed to levels of radiation below the 20 millisievert per year evacuation standard. Under the national Disaster Relief Act, temporary housing facilities were made available to all Fukushima prefectural residents. But, Tokyo soon differentiated between mandated and voluntary evacuees because the latter were in greater numbers than the former. (90,000 voluntary vs. 75,000 mandated) The Prefecture could not provide temporary living accommodations to all of them, so only the “mandated” were deemed to qualify. Voluntaries were forced to find temporary housing in other prefectures, with the Tokyo government providing compensation for rental costs. Under the Act, emergency housing provisions are supposed to last for two years, but was extended to four years after the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995. The same sort of extension has been the case with all Fukushima evacuees, mandated and voluntary alike. However, the current extension ends next March. If it happens, all mandated evacuees can move to public housing, but this would not apply to voluntary evacuees. They would literally be on their own. The possibilities are exacerbated by Tepco balking at repaying Tokyo for the money spent on voluntary evacuees. One Tokyo official is reported to have said, “It all comes down to the fact that no one wants to be held accountable.” http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20150417p2a00m0na006000c.html