Enformable

Month: August 2012

In-Focus Japan: Japan to study genetic effects of radiation – Hokkaido working on hydrogen explosion prevention

Hokkaido University working on new technologies to prevent hydrogen explosions A research team from Hokkaido University will create 1:1000th and 1:200th scale models of reactor buildings to study the convection flow of hydrogen, and determine the most effective deployment locations for magnesium technologies which absorb hydrogen. Source: The Denki Shimbun New nuclear regulatory commission appointments […]

Former NRC Chairman Jaczko travels to Japan and urges transparency of nuclear regulators

Former United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko traveled to Japan this week, meeting Fukushima residents and stressing the importance of open dialogue and full information disclosure from the new nuclear safety agency which will be established in Japan after the March 11th nuclear disaster. While speaking to Fukushima residents, Jaczko  stated that nuclear […]

San Onofre Reactor 2 to be subject of cost-benefit analysis

Like the rest of the year, August 2012 has been a tumultuous rollercoaster for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.  The utility announced that Unit 3 was no closer to restart and that they would be removing the nuclear fuel from the reactor, announced the layoffs of a third of the staff, and began hanging […]

Changing the rules – It’s not just regulatory capture, it’s a whole new game

NISA plans to ok operations at nuclear power plants built above faults Despite its conflict of interest, lack of public trust, and pending abolishment, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has released plans to accept new nuclear safety rules that OK operations even at nuclear power plants even if active earthquake faults are discovered beneath […]

In-Focus Japan: Fukushima farmers continue decontamination of pasture grass – Japan to revise disaster food-security guidelines

Fukushima farmers continuing decontamination work Livestock farmers in Fukushima Prefecture have been working to decontaminate the land used for pasture, in an attempt to resume the use of pasture grass for cattle next year.  After the Fukushima nuclear disaster spread radioactive materials across the island nation, farmers had voluntarily restricted the use of pasture grass […]

Japanese government to fund algae decontamination project at over 100 contaminated sites

OriginOil has announced that its research partner in Japan has received government funding approval for a program to use the company’s algae harvester to clean the radioactive waste from contaminated sites in Fukushima where the March 2011 nuclear accident occurred. Certain plants and algae have the capability of absorbing metals such as cesium and strontium. Radioisotopes of […]

April 2nd 2011 – Questions and Data on Core-Concrete Interactions

Q: What degradation mechanism can result from interaction of molten core and concrete? A: If molten core contacts concrete, a chemical reaction will occur that generates noncondensable gases. This is a slow degradation process relative to many of the other failure mechanisms in play (e.g., hydrogen detonation). Flooding of the drywell will reduce the molten […]

In-Focus Japan: Disease-related deaths soar in disaster affected prefecture – Experts warn Japanese government majority of citizens want to abandon nuclear power

Disease-related deaths in Miyagi Prefecture soars after March 11th disaster A study by Tohoku University lead by Professor Hiroaki Shimokawa showed that the number of cases of heart failure, stroke, pneumonia, and cardiac arrest surged after the March 11th disaster, and the study says the increase is attributed to disaster-related stress and use of water […]

Exelon shuts down nuclear construction plans due to uneconomical markets

Exelon has informed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that it is withdrawing its Early Site Permit application for a new nuclear construction project in Texas.  The continuing plunge of natural gas prices, economic conditions, market instability, and public resistance has made the nuclear industry uneconomical now, and for the foreseeable future. Source: Victoria Advocate  

In-Focus Japan: Nuclear power plant may be subject to referendum – TEPCO running out of space for contaminated water storage

Japan considers budget for research of direct disposal methods for spent nuclear fuel Japan’s science ministry is considering including funds for the research and development for the direct disposal of spent nuclear fuel in its budget request for fiscal 2013. Source: JiJi Press TEPCO to have troubling adding additional contaminated water storage tanks TEPCO has […]

TEPCO studying how to remove fuel rods from crippled Reactor 4 spent fuel pool

In July, workers at Fukushima Daiichi removed 2 unused fuel assemblies from the spent fuel pool of Reactor 4.  On Monday, TEPCO examined one of the assemblies to determine the extent of the damage to the fuel rods. The investigation was carried out on the operation floor of the common fuel pool building.  Workers removed […]

Edison workers to remove nuclear fuel from San Onofre Reactor 3

Southern California Edison workers will remove the fuel rods inside the disabled Unit 3 reactor, and move them into storage in mid-September, Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspector Gregory Warnick told The Associated Press on Monday. Operator Southern California Edison has said it’s focusing on repairing the less-damaged Unit 2 reactor, which the utility has proposed may […]

In-Focus San Onofre – USGS systems overwhelmed by outbreak of earthquakes in California – Nuclear security officer hid DUI charges for nearly 3 months

USGS systems overwhelmed by outbreak of up to 70 earthquakes felt on Sunday in California and Arizona On Sunday, up to 70 earthquakes were felt from Orange County to San Diego County, and the aftershocks have continued throughout the early Monday morning hours. “What we’re seeing is a classic Brawley seismic swarm,” USGS seismologist Lucy […]

In-Focus Japan: Gamma rays emitting from disaster debris challenge for Fukushima workers

Japanese report to the IAEA reveals worries about gamma rays escaping from disaster debris In a report on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Shinichi Kuroki, NISA deputy director general for nuclear power told the International Atomic Energy Agency that high levels of gamma rays are still being emitted from debris, presenting a great challenge to […]

Silence Deafening – A mother’s perspective on the Fukushima nuclear disaster

By Karl Grossman Amid the cover-up of the Fukushima nuclear power disaster, the title of Kimberly Roberson’s book rings so unfortunately true: Silence Deafening, Fukushima Fallout…A Mother’s Response. It’s relatively brief at 69 pages but gets to the heart of the catastrophe: the meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant complex in 2011, the […]

In-Focus Japan – Over 150 Fukushima workers cumulative exposure levels exceed 5 year limit – NISA orders investigation of fault zones under Monju and Mihama nuclear sites

NISA orders re-examination of Monju and Mihama nuclear plants in Fukui Prefecture NISA and METI have acknowledged the possibility of active fault zones directly underneath the reactor buildings of multiple nuclear power plants after the March 11th earthquake. Two more nuclear sites, Monju and Mihama both in Fukui Prefecture,  have been ordered to carry out […]

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