GreenWatch

The nuclear power reactor on the east coast of Japan dubbed Fukushima Daiichi has been out of commission for six years. The reactor complex was part of the damage done by a combination of strong earthquake and destructive tsunami that slammed into the beachfront installation. Radiation is still escaping. In February, a probe was sent into one of the wrecked reactor containers. It recorded a reading of 530 Sieverts. This is more than seven times the previous high level taken in 2012 of 73 Sieverts. An exposure to one Sievert is enough to make a person sick and 5 Sieverts is enough to kill. A spokesperson for the clean up operation mused that the high reading might be due to a difference in the sampling technique. The person did offer that the probe observed a hole in the metal grating below the containment vessel and opined that the melted nuclear fuel may have run through it. Dark lumps observed by the probe might be remains of nuclear fuel rods. The clean up of the de...

B.. McPherson How many nuclear power stations are near Japan's volcanoes? Japan currently has 48 nuclear reactors that were designed to produce electricity. Since the destruction of the Fukushima Daiichi complex more than three years ago due to earthquake and tsunami damage, all the other plants have been shut pending thorough safety checks. On September 27 a volcanic peak, Mount Ontake, unexpectedly erupted killing at least 31 people who were hiking on the slopes. More people may have been killed and buried in the ash. You may well ask what these people were doing on an active volcano. They were assured that Mt. Ontake was safe because the seismic sensors placed on the mountain showed no activity. There are 110 active volcanoes in Japan. The Nuclear Regulatory Authority(NRA) has recently given a nuclear facility at Sendai a safety pass – July 16, 2014. Objections raised by those opposed to the reopening of the nuclear stations based partly on its proximity to an...

B. McPherson For those returning to the hot zone the prospect of radiation trumps the "cages". A little over three years after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station was wrecked, 350 people have been allowed to return to Tamura City. It lies within the 20km exclusion zone. The refugees have been assured that the area is safe for habitation. The former residents, 80 000 of them, have been assured of many things since the explosions at the electrical facility spread radioactivity over the area. The Japanese government has joined with the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) to reassure people of their quick responses to the dangers of radiation and their quick and efficient response to safety issues. However over the past three years, the facts have often been contrary to the official stories. This excerpt from Fukushima Update says it as well as anyone can: Because we all know TEPCO would never misreport the radiation surrounding Fukushima. Oh wait:...

B. McPherson When will TEPCO get serious? The ruined Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is trending hotter. Word has it that today’s readings of radioactivity have reached the highest level yet. The ongoing crisis at the Japanese power plant has the rest of the world watching their ad hoc attempts to confine the damage with growing impatience. Confidence in the willingness of TEPCO to put the resources and expertise onto the job has reaches an all time low. Last week it was revealed that the hastily built tanks that contain highly radioactive water leaked. The experts there have placed the metal tanks directly on the ground rather than onto concrete pads. Ground water moving below the Fukushima plant and tanks is also being irradiated and leaking into the Pacific Ocean. Last week’s radiation readings were high enough to ensure death with four hours exposure. Today the world is told that the radiation readings are higher still. TEPCO’s response is that more sensitive equipment i...

B. McPherson The latest bad news coming from the crippled nuclear power complex in Fukushima is that the underground storage ponds for radioactive waste are leaking into the surrounding ground. Those in charge of trying to clean up the facility issued a statement about the leaks. “We have yet to grasp the cause of the leaks. But we will strengthen monitoring activities so as to prevent the water from flowing into the sea,” he said. “We want to transfer the contaminated water from the underground reservoirs as soon as possible.” JapanToday I don’t know about you, but it’s sounding as if TEPCO president   Naomi Hirose doesn’t really know what he is doing over there. It has been over two years since the power plant was hit with an earthquake and massive tsunami. It seems that the aftermath reads like a litany of coverups and mishaps. Radioactive material has been buried in playgrounds. In the past week, a rat managed to short circuit a switching station shut...

B. McPherson This report is very worrisome.  A leaked report on the state of Europe’s nuclear power stations has pointed out the urgent need for upgrades that could cost the countries up to $32 billion to complete. The report also pointed out widely varying standards of safety among the 14 member states that participated in the stress tests which are designed to highlight weaknesses in the safety of the electrical plants. A worrisome aspect of the leaked report is they revealed that enforcement of current safety standards was needed. Currently 12 of the member states have failed to meet safety standards. Four reactors were found to have less than one hour of before catastrophic damage if their electrical power were interrupted. The report also cited plants in Spain, France and the Czech Republic that lacked adequate earthquake detectors. France is heavily dependent on nuclear generated electricity, producing 80% of their needs this way. Of the 58 power stations in ...

B. McPherson In spite of assurances of safety, nuclear power stations in Japan remain vulnerable to damage from earthquakes and tsunamis. The Tomari Nuclear Power Station shut down their reactors for routine maintenance. There is speculation that all the nuclear power stations may remain shut down. Japan is moving into the summer months when demand for electricity for air conditioning soars. Nuclear power provided about 30% of that nation’s power supply before the Fukushima Daiichi disaster last year. Before the Fukushima disaster, the nuclear power industry was expected to expand its production to provide 50% of the power needs over the next 20 years. Imports of liquefied natural gas(LNG), coal and oil have been ramped up to feed the thermal plants. Even so, there are   predictions of electrical shortages throughout the country. "I have to say we are facing the risk of a very severe electricity shortage," said the economy, trade and industry minister, Yu...

B. McPherson Journalists had an opportunity to tour the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station on Tuesday. They witnessed wreckage still littering the plant grounds and makeshift repairs done to some of the critical systems that are keeping the radiation under control. For instance, plastic water pipes that supply cooling to the defunct reactors split during a cold spell and were repaired with tape. It is expected that the ultimate clean up of the site will take years. "I have to admit that it's still rather fragile," said plant chief Takeshi Takahashi, who took the job in December after his predecessor resigned due to health reasons. TimeWorld An independent group investigating the actions of TEPCO and the government in the critical days following the nuclear emergency, Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation, delivered their report on the March 11, 2011 triple crisis which saw a massive earthquake, tsunami and radiation release combine. The report...

By B. McPherson When the huge earthquake and resulting tsunami hit Japan last year, it spawned the ongoing disaster of Fukushima. Since then, the world has watched while the various stories and reassurances have been spun to the people – the rice is safe, the children are safe, leave your homes. It continues. More information is leaking out. Apparently when the nuclear radiation crisis hit, the ‘experts’ were at odds with how to present the ominous news to the Japanese public. One expert was front and centre, accepting responsibility. Now former acting head of the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan Sunichi Tanaka is quoted in The MainichiDaily News: "Reactor cores have melted to a considerable extent. I never predicted that we would cause the public so much trouble. We are responsible for promoting nuclear power." In ongoing hearings into the cause of the fatal damage at the Fukushima electric plant, there have been clashes over pinning the damage on the ts...

By B. McPherson The news from Japan makes one wonder where the truth lies. Perhaps we should wonder where the lies are rather than hope for truth from the authorities at TEPCO. Since the earthquake and tsunami in March that devastated large areas of Japan and wrecked the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant the world has been receiving evasive answers about the extent of the damage to the reactors and the amount of radioactive material spewed into the environment. …. Today Japan Today has news of a new radioactive leak from the crippled power plant. While authorities speaking for TEPCO have assured the public that there is no danger from today’s leak, they are taking measures to damp down the radiation by spraying water and boric acid onto the failed reactor container. Junichi Matsumoto is quoted: “Given the signs, it's certain that fission is occurring,” Junichi Matsumoto, a general manager at Tepco who regularly talks to the media, told reporters in Tokyo today. BusinessWe...

By B. McPherson The catastrophe that hit Japan this last March continues. The combination of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear radiation has made 2011 a most deadly year for the Japanese. New figures being released show that the radiation release from nuclear plant Fukushima Daiichi was probably twice as high as initially thought. Apparently, the Japanese government failed to measure the amount of radioactive particles that were released into and over the ocean, only taking into consideration that which fell on the surrounding land. “ Andreas Stohl, of the Norwegian Institute for Air Research, said measurements taken from a global network of sensors showed that the plant had released 36,000 terabecquerels of caesium-137 between 11 March and 20 April. ” The Guardian UK New figures being made public show that there was a massive release of cesium 137 into the ocean. This element is radioactive and takes 30 years for half of it to decay to a non-radioactive substance. This constitutes ...