Japan Nuclear Crisis Part III

[ArtRosen]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4047859,00.html

Japan says nuclear plant situation not getting worse

The situation at the earthquake-stricken nuclear power plant in northern Japan is not getting worse but vigilance is needed, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said on Saturday. The operator of the Fukushima plant north of Tokyo has been trying since March 11's devastating earthquake and tsunami to prevent a catastrophic meltdown.

Radioactivity in seawater near crippled nucke plant rises to 1,850 times usual level from 1,250 - Reuters http://reut.rs/eCLag2

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/27/us-japan-seawater-idUSTRE72Q04520110327?WT.tsrc=Social%20Media&WT.z_smid=twtr-reuters_%20com&WT.z_smid_dest=Twitter

Radioactivity increases in sea-water off Japan nuclear plant

(Reuters) - Radioactive iodine in sea-water off Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant rose to 1,850 times the usual level from 1,250 times measured on Saturday, Japan's nuclear safety agency said on Sunday.

Separately, senior agency official Hidehiko Nishiyama said leakage from reactor vessels was likely to have been the cause for high levels of radiation found in water that has accumulated in turbine buildings.

The radioactive water within the plant has hampered workers from restoring its cooling systems.

(Writing by Shinichi Saoshiro)

martyn_williams Martyn Williams Here are the water readings from Turbine room water http://bit.ly/gM13B5 #2 turbine bldg I-134 at 2.9 billion Bq/cm3

Using math, 1000 cm3 = 1 liter. So that equals 2.9 million bq/l. bq

Huamn beings cannot drink tap water of 300 or greater bq/l.

Something's wrong here. 2.9 million bq/l????

[samdman95]

REUTERSFLASH ReutersBreakingNews #Japan plant operator says radioactivity in water at reactor No. 2 10 million times usual level, workers evacuated - local media

[ArtRosen]

REUTERSFLASH ReutersBreakingNews #Japan plant operator says radioactivity in water at reactor No. 2 10 million times usual level, workers evacuated - local media

10 million times the usual level!!!!

But I thought....?

http://www.ynetnews....4047859,00.html

Japan says nuclear plant situation not getting worse

[Clinch Leatherwood]

REUTERSFLASH ReutersBreakingNews #Japan plant operator says radioactivity in water at reactor No. 2 10 million times usual level, workers evacuated - local media

What a mess. The lack of information is frustrating.

[Clinch Leatherwood]

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/

News is terrible. Extremely high levels of iodine 134 and officials saying the water is from be reactor core in #2. It's amazing they've kept it from getting substantially worse up to now but what a mess

[JoMo]

Over 1,000 millisieverts per hour found in water at No.2 reactor

Still like a slow moving trainwreck.

[Scott747]

Over 1,000 millisieverts per hour found in water at No.2 reactor

Still like a slow moving trainwreck.

I think it has been there all along. The #2 reactor was the first one that they felt had a breach. Just now either measuring or reporting it.

There is some crazy **** being thrown around about what TEPCO isn't telling some of the folks that are working at the site.

750mSv at the #3 reactor.

[Plokoon111]

I was just thinking, hmm there haven't been posts in this thread in awhile, the nuclear problem must be getting better (...) NOT. Wow what a mess.

[Amped]

Over 1,000 millisieverts per hour found in water at No.2 reactor

Still like a slow moving trainwreck.

Holly crap, thats almost 2 Krusty Burgers.

[Scott747]

This is a picture of a reactor at the Browns Ferry Unit while under construction in the late sixties and much like the #2 reactor. You can see the suppression pool which is where they think a explosion occurred during the early days of the crisis.

[LovintheWhiteFluff]

I was just thinking, hmm there haven't been posts in this thread in awhile, the nuclear problem must be getting better (...) NOT. Wow what a mess.

This news story would be dead if it weren't for Kyodo and possibly NHK. Reuters pulled down their live blog with 1,200 people using it every day. It's pathetic.

[LovintheWhiteFluff]

I think it has been there all along. The #2 reactor was the first one that they felt had a breach. Just now either measuring or reporting it.

There is some crazy **** being thrown around about what TEPCO isn't telling some of the folks that are working at the site.

750mSv at the #3 reactor.

Do you have a link/story with regards to TEPCO withholding info from workers? I'd be interested in reading up on it. I fully believe it's happening to a certain extent. These people working there are contractors of the contractors for TEPCO. Messed up.

[Scott747]

Do you have a link of TEPCO withholding info from workers. I'd be interested in reading up on it. I fully believe it's happening to a certain extent. These people working there contractors of the contractors for TEPCO. Messed up.

Just stuff I've picked up from other blogs and a few twitter blurbs. Purely speculation on my part.

TEPCO is still running the show and the Japanese version of .gov (Edano) basically regurgitates what they say.

[LovintheWhiteFluff]

That's what I've been getting too. The levels are off the wall now. People can't stay in the area of more than an hour or they are signing their own death certificate. It's interesting that TEPCO outsourced most of the work.

[LovintheWhiteFluff]

Who are they kidding???

Japan to ask WTO members not to 'overreact' on nuke crisis

Japan will ask World Trade Organization members not to ''overreact'' to the crisis surrounding the stricken nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture, which has prompted import restrictions on some Japanese food products over fears of radioactive contamination, trade and diplomatic sources said Saturday.

The Japanese government delegates will make the request at an informal meeting of the WTO's Trade Negotiation Committee which convenes Tuesday, the first since the March 11 catastrophic earthquake and ensuing tsunami crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in northeastern Japan.

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/81296.html

[ArtRosen]

"The company says 3.9 million becquerels of radioactive substances per cubic centimeter were detected in the water that the workers were standing in. That is 10,000 times higher than levels of the water inside a nuclear reactor in operation."

From here: http://www3.nhk.or.j...lish/25_10.html

And now we have 10 million times higher.

And the Japanese government is telling everyone that the situation isn't that bad, it's ok, not getting any worse...

Yeah, well, I guess if all 3 cores are fully melted you can't get any worse can you?

[MJW155]

And now we have 10 million times higher.

And the Japanese government is telling everyone that the situation isn't that bad, it's ok, not getting any worse...

Yeah, well, I guess if all 3 cores are fully melted you can't get any worse can you?

Gee, what a surprise. Some of us have been saying from the get go that we should take a wait and see approach before concluding things are under control and that people are overreacting.

[superjames1992]

REUTERSFLASH ReutersBreakingNews #Japan plant operator says radioactivity in water at reactor No. 2 10 million times usual level, workers evacuated - local media

That doesn't sound good...

[LovintheWhiteFluff]

So here is the million dollar question. How are they going to work down there or anywhere near it when 15 minutes is the max the government allows? A few hours anywhere near it and you are done. There isn't enough people or time to do what they need to do to that plant.

[LovintheWhiteFluff]

This is a picture of a reactor at the Browns Ferry Unit while under construction in the late sixties and much like the #2 reactor. You can see the suppression pool which is where they think a explosion occurred during the early days of the crisis.

This reactor looks to be mostly above ground.

[LovintheWhiteFluff]

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano said Saturday that Japan was ''still far from the end of the accident'' that hit a nuclear plant in Fukushima Prefecture, according to a report by the New York Times.

Citing a telephone interview, the newspaper wrote that the world's chief nuclear inspector said his biggest concern now centered on spent fuel rods sitting in open cooling pools atop reactor buildings of the quake-hit Fukushima Daiichi plant, about 220 kilometers northeast of Tokyo.

More than two weeks after the March 11 massive quake-tsunami disaster, which crippled the plant, Amano cautioned that the nuclear emergency could still go on for weeks, if not months, given the enormous damage to the plant, the paper said.

Amano said he believed the Japanese authorities were not withholding information. But his two-day emergency visit to Tokyo earlier this month was intended to secure from Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan a commitment to what he called ''full transparency'' of information related to the nuclear trouble, according to the paper.

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/81320.html

[Mt.Zoniac]

REUTERSFLASH ReutersBreakingNews #Japan plant operator says radioactivity in water at reactor No. 2 10 million times usual level, workers evacuated - local media

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4047859,00.html

Japan says nuclear plant situation not getting worse

The situation at the earthquake-stricken nuclear power plant in northern Japan is not getting worse but vigilance is needed, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said on Saturday. The operator of the Fukushima plant north of Tokyo has been trying since March 11's devastating earthquake and tsunami to prevent a catastrophic meltdown.

Radioactivity in seawater near crippled nucke plant rises to 1,850 times usual level from 1,250 - Reuters http://reut.rs/eCLag2

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/27/us-japan-seawater-idUSTRE72Q04520110327?WT.tsrc=Social Media&WT.z_smid=twtr-reuters_ com&WT.z_smid_dest=Twitter

Radioactivity increases in sea-water off Japan nuclear plant

(Reuters) - Radioactive iodine in sea-water off Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant rose to 1,850 times the usual level from 1,250 times measured on Saturday, Japan's nuclear safety agency said on Sunday.

Separately, senior agency official Hidehiko Nishiyama said leakage from reactor vessels was likely to have been the cause for high levels of radiation found in water that has accumulated in turbine buildings.

The radioactive water within the plant has hampered workers from restoring its cooling systems.

(Writing by Shinichi Saoshiro)

martyn_williams Martyn Williams Here are the water readings from Turbine room water http://bit.ly/gM13B5 #2 turbine bldg I-134 at 2.9 billion Bq/cm3

Using math, 1000 cm3 = 1 liter. So that equals 2.9 million bq/l. bq

Huamn beings cannot drink tap water of 300 or greater bq/l.

Something's wrong here. 2.9 million bq/l????

That's right SANDMAN & ARTROSEN - you both nailed it too. The radiation is 10MILLION TIMES HIGHER THAN NORMAL..which is a REACTOR BREACH. WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR DAYS. That doesn't just turn off or drop the next time they report. Probably been that way since the beginning. Contamination is rampant. Sea is contaminated, food, which means earth/ground - everything. Look, even Aljazzera is saying the same thing. Now ------ where is the radioactive ocean plume data and maps? The radioactive air plume maps? I haven't seen one since March 17. Someone told the press not to ask those questions? Come on! This is ridiculous.

From Aljazzera:

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2011/03/201132741147837280.html

"Radiation at a hobbled nuclear plant in Japan was 10 million times more than normal, officials said.Workers were evacuated on Sunday from the reactor building in Fukushima to prevent exposure...high radiation levels were detected at reactor number 2 in water that had accumulated in the turbine housing unit...Officials said the high levels of radiation was probably caused by leakage from reactor vessels.

Japanese engineers have struggled to pump radioactive water from the plant 240 km north Tokyo two weeks after it was hit by an earthquake and tsunami...Engineers trying to stabilise the plant had to pump out radioactive water after it was found in buildings housing three of the six reactors.

Meanwhile, tests by the Japanese nuclear safety agency revealed levels of radioactivity up to 1,850 times the usual level in seawater offshore the crippled plant compared to 1,250 measured on Saturday."

I think you know what he's getting at...Mt. Zoniac has been in this thread for the past week spewing exaggerations and conspiracy theories. I never claimed to be any sort of expert. Some of us here are at least trying to understand what is going on.

You're really an ass and quite stupid too, for a "met".

[LakeEffectKing]

That's right SANDMAN & ARTROSEN - you both nailed it too. The radiation is 10MILLION TIMES HIGHER THAN NORMAL..which is a REACTOR BREACH. WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR DAYS. That doesn't just turn off or drop the next time they report. Probably been that way since the beginning. Contamination is rampant. Sea is contaminated, food, which means earth/ground - everything. Look, even Aljazzera is saying the same thing. Now ------ where is the radioactive ocean plume data and maps? The radioactive air plume maps? I haven't seen one since March 17. Someone told the press not to ask those questions? Come on! This is ridiculous.

From Aljazzera:

http://english.aljaz...1147837280.html

"Radiation at a hobbled nuclear plant in Japan was 10 million times more than normal, officials said.Workers were evacuated on Sunday from the reactor building in Fukushima to prevent exposure...high radiation levels were detected at reactor number 2 in water that had accumulated in the turbine housing unit...Officials said the high levels of radiation was probably caused by leakage from reactor vessels.

Japanese engineers have struggled to pump radioactive water from the plant 240 km north Tokyo two weeks after it was hit by an earthquake and tsunami...Engineers trying to stabilise the plant had to pump out radioactive water after it was found in buildings housing three of the six reactors.

Meanwhile, tests by the Japanese nuclear safety agency revealed levels of radioactivity up to 1,850 times the usual level in seawater offshore the crippled plant compared to 1,250 measured on Saturday."

You're really an ass and quite stupid too, for a "met".

Congratulations! You have scored a coup. You really are the best radiation forecaster on these boards. Us poor other folk only had the standard information to go by, which would dictate a "wait and see" attitude, but you, obviously, have some incredible radioactive pattern recognition skills.....If only more people would have listened to you, then maybe the loss of life due to radiation exposure could have been reduced substantially. We shall learn from you!

Again, way to go!!!

[Sunny and Warm]

Congratulations! You have scored a coup. You really are the best radiation forecaster on these boards. Us poor other folk only had the standard information to go by, which would dictate a "wait and see" attitude, but you, obviously, have some incredible radioactive pattern recognition skills.....If only more people would have listened to you, then maybe the loss of life due to radiation exposure could have been reduced substantially. We shall learn from you!

Again, way to go!!!

All he is saying is that if one takes off the "I'm gullible" glasses, this never passed the smell test from day one. And yes, figuring out when people are lying is a form of pattern recognition.

[Mt.Zoniac]

Congratulations! You have scored a coup. You really are the best radiation forecaster on these boards. Us poor other folk only had the standard information to go by, which would dictate a "wait and see" attitude, but you, obviously, have some incredible radioactive pattern recognition skills.....If only more people would have listened to you, then maybe the loss of life due to radiation exposure could have been reduced substantially. We shall learn from you!

Again, way to go!!!

All he is saying is that if one takes off the "I'm gullible" glasses, this never passed the smell test from day one. And yes, figuring out when people are lying is a form of pattern recognition.

Stick it, schleps.

Gaps in U.S. radiation Monitoring System Revealed

Texas, California & New York So Far...

Associated Press

Saturday, March 26, 2011 00:03

http://www.bsudailynews.com/news/gaps-in-u-s-radiation-monitoring-system-revealed-1.2522462

and http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_17710544?source=most_emailed&nclick_check=1

Excerpts:

SAN FRANCISCO — Part of the nation's key radiation warning system was out of service as the U.S. braced for possible exposure to the fallout from a nuclear crisis in Japan.

The system is crucial because federal officials use the monitors' readings to validate the impact of nuclear incidents, then alert local governments and the public.

In California, home to two seaside nuclear plants located close to earthquake fault lines, federal officials said four of the 11 stationary monitors were offline for repairs or maintenance last week. The Environmental Protection Agency did not immediately say why the monitors were inoperable, but did not fix them until several days after low levels of radiation began drifting toward the mainland U.S.

About 20 monitors out of 124 nationwide were out of service earlier this week, including units in Harlingen, Tex. and Buffalo, N.Y. on Friday, according to the EPA.

Gaps in the system — as well as the delays in fixing malfunctioning monitors in some of Southern California's most populated areas — have helped to prompt hearings and inquiries in Washington and Sacramento.

"Because the monitoring system ... plays such a critical role in protecting the health and safety of the American people, we will examine how well our current monitoring system has performed in the aftermath of the tragic situation in Japan," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat who chairs the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which plans a hearing in the next few weeks on nuclear safety....

The EPA's independent watchdog, Inspector General Arthur Elkins, told the AP he is considering reviewing the agency's emergency response planning, including the agency's RadNet system....

California lawmakers have questioned the adequacy of the EPA monitoring, noting there are no sensors along the coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

"The question remains unanswered as to why we have gaps," said California Senate Majority Leader Ellen M. Corbett, (D-San Leandro), who chairs the state committee on earthquake and disaster preparedness "The radiation monitors that we do have in California must be properly checked and maintained."

Daniel Hirsch, a nuclear watchdog who lectures on nuclear policy at the University of California, Santa Cruz, said he was uneasy about the malfunctioning monitors.

"The fundamental concern is that we're being offered bland assurances that everything is ok but much of the monitoring system was broken," Hirsch said.

[winterymix]

Congratulations! You have scored a coup. You really are the best radiation forecaster on these boards. Us poor other folk only had the standard information to go by, which would dictate a "wait and see" attitude, but you, obviously, have some incredible radioactive pattern recognition skills.....If only more people would have listened to you, then maybe the loss of life due to radiation exposure could have been reduced substantially. We shall learn from you!

Again, way to go!!!

Oh! Hey, I know your reputation here. Long term history, over a number of years, of figuring things correctly. Some others here, nyet. In other news, Japan is as transparent as t hey have to be.

Officials say they still don't know where the radioactive water is coming from, though Edano has said it is "almost certainly" seeping from a breached reactor core in one of the units.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.c.../#ixzz1HtaVnj6p

People here are tempted by conspiracy theory, innuendo and gossip. If they only took the time to study official information (English language versions of information release from the Japanese government and from the Tokyo electric company), they would see all of the good efforts as well as generous transparent information. Furthermore, it seems that the workers that took too much radiation did so because of their decisions to ignore radiation alarms. They are trying to gitt-'er done. Not so easy just after the largest earthquake in the region in a thousand years and then having hundreds of thousands of their citizens homeless.

Good info here:

http://www.meti.go.jp/english/electricity_supply/index.html

and here:

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11032503-e.html

and here:

http://www.epa.gov/japan2011/

Why do people think conspiracy theories apply here? Japan is among our closest allies. In a time of disaster, they have nothing to gain by covering up a problem that absolutely requires solution and they will not voluntarily poison their own people. This is a democracy the governments approval rating are increasing after the crisis.

[OSUmetstud]

Stick it, schleps.

Gaps in U.S. radiation Monitoring System Revealed

Texas, California & New York So Far...

Associated Press

Saturday, March 26, 2011 00:03

http://www.bsudailyn...ealed-1.2522462

and http://www.mercuryne...&nclick_check=1

Excerpts:

SAN FRANCISCO — Part of the nation's key radiation warning system was out of service as the U.S. braced for possible exposure to the fallout from a nuclear crisis in Japan.

The system is crucial because federal officials use the monitors' readings to validate the impact of nuclear incidents, then alert local governments and the public.

In California, home to two seaside nuclear plants located close to earthquake fault lines, federal officials said four of the 11 stationary monitors were offline for repairs or maintenance last week. The Environmental Protection Agency did not immediately say why the monitors were inoperable, but did not fix them until several days after low levels of radiation began drifting toward the mainland U.S.

About 20 monitors out of 124 nationwide were out of service earlier this week, including units in Harlingen, Tex. and Buffalo, N.Y. on Friday, according to the EPA.

Gaps in the system — as well as the delays in fixing malfunctioning monitors in some of Southern California's most populated areas — have helped to prompt hearings and inquiries in Washington and Sacramento.

"Because the monitoring system ... plays such a critical role in protecting the health and safety of the American people, we will examine how well our current monitoring system has performed in the aftermath of the tragic situation in Japan," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat who chairs the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which plans a hearing in the next few weeks on nuclear safety....

The EPA's independent watchdog, Inspector General Arthur Elkins, told the AP he is considering reviewing the agency's emergency response planning, including the agency's RadNet system....

California lawmakers have questioned the adequacy of the EPA monitoring, noting there are no sensors along the coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

"The question remains unanswered as to why we have gaps," said California Senate Majority Leader Ellen M. Corbett, (D-San Leandro), who chairs the state committee on earthquake and disaster preparedness "The radiation monitors that we do have in California must be properly checked and maintained."

Daniel Hirsch, a nuclear watchdog who lectures on nuclear policy at the University of California, Santa Cruz, said he was uneasy about the malfunctioning monitors.

"The fundamental concern is that we're being offered bland assurances that everything is ok but much of the monitoring system was broken," Hirsch said.

I'm afraid...hold me...only 85% of the sensors are working...this is truly a major story. I'm sure there are massive radiation doses that are being missed between the working sensors...

[OSUmetstud]

Oh! Hey, I know your reputation here. Long term history, over a number of years, of figuring things correctly. Some others here, nyet. In other news, Japan is as transparent as t hey have to be.

If the research skill-devoid emos only took the time to study the English language versions of information release from the Japanese government and from the Tokyo electric company, they would see all of the good efforts as well as generous transparent information. Furthermore, it seems that the workers that took too much radiation did so because of their decisions to ignore radiation alarms. They are trying to gitt-'er done. Not so easy just after the largest earthquake in the region in a thousand years and then having hundreds of thousands of their citizens homeless.

I think most would disagree with you on this....the continued calls for a transparency from TEPCO from the Japanese government, the NRC, and other international agencies says that TEPCO isn't offering enough information.

[janetjanet998]

LOL

Japan: Huge radiation spike at nuke was a mistake

Officials: Measurement of huge spike in radiation at Japanese nuclear plant was a mistake

TOKYO (AP) -- Emergency workers struggling to pump contaminated water from Japan's stricken nuclear complex fled from one of the troubled reactors Sunday after reporting a huge increase in radioactivity -- a spike that officials later apologetically said was inaccurate.

The apology came after employees fled the complex's Unit 2 reactor when a reading showed radiation levels had reached 10 million times higher than normal in the reactor's cooling system. Officials said they were so high that the worker taking the measurements had withdrawn before taking a second reading.

On Sunday night, though, plant operators said that while the water was contaminated with radiation, the extremely high reading was a mistake.

"The number is not credible," said Tokyo Electric Power Co. spokesman Takashi Kurita. "We are very sorryHe said officials were taking another sample to get accurate levels, but did not know when the results would be announced.

http://finance.yahoo...in&asset==

[winterymix]

Stick it, schleps.

Gaps in U.S. radiation Monitoring System Revealed

Texas, California & New York So Far...

Absolutely ridiculous..

Horsecrap.

Phineas lambastes me for this, giving me more confidence about the validity:

http://www.epa.gov/japan2011/rert/radnet-eureka-bg.html