nuclear-news

Nuclear news items – 13 from March 30

Japan says no choice but to flood reactors
Japan says it has to keep pouring water into reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant to limit a huge meltdown.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/29/3177045.htm?site=news

Traces of Japan radioactivity in US rain
Traces of radioactivity from damaged nuclear power facilities in Japan have been found in rainwater in the north-east United States, but pose no health risks, officials say.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/29/3176647.htm?site=news

Executive vanishes during nuclear fallout
The sudden disappearance of disgraced officials is not unheard-of in Japan.
http://www.theage.com.au/world/executive-vanishes-during-nuclear-fallout-20110329-1ceoe.html

Highly radioactive water threatens Fukushima
Emergency crews scramble to contain extremely radioactive water leaking into tunnels and basement rooms at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
http://www.theage.com.au/world/highly-radioactive-water-threatens-fukushima-20110329-1ceoh.html

Reactor no match for this tsunami, PM finally admits
The Japanese Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, has said for the first time that the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant’s tsunami defences were inadequate, while reassuring the public that radiation leaks pose no health threat beyond an evacuation zone.
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/reactor-no-match-for-this-tsunami-pm-finally-admits-20110329-1cesb.html

Japan on ’maximum alert’ over nuclear crisis
Japan’s Prime Minister Naoto Kan says his government is in a “state of maximum alert” over the crisis at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant.
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/japan-on-maximum-alert-over-nuclear-crisis-20110329-1cdw0.html

Nuke firm could be nationalised
THE prospect of the Japanese government nationalising the disgraced Tokyo Electric Power Co emerged yesterday.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/nuke-firm-could-be-nationalised/story-e6frg6so-1226030356784

Quake fears curb China’s N-targets
CHINA is likely to cut its nuclear power generation targets by about 10 per cent by 2020 and stop approvals for any new inland reactors.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/quake-fears-curb-chinas-n-targets/story-e6frg6so-1226030351841

Radioactive iodine found in UK

TRACES of radioactive iodine from Japan’s stricken nuclear facility found by air-monitoring sites at two locations in Britain.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/japanese-radioactive-iodine-found-at-two-british-test-sites/story-e6frf7jx-1226030429262

Japan on nuclear alert as crisis deepens
JAPAN government on “maximum alert” over crippled nuclear plant where radioactive water has halted repair work.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/japan-on-nuclear-alert-as-crisis-deepens/story-e6frf7jx-1226030325357
Power drain the biggest concern: expert

Japan’s biggest economic challenge is not the devastation of the recent earthquake and tsunami, but rather the continuing nuclear catastrophe and loss of power taking place in the north-east.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/power-drain-the-biggest-concern-expert/2116969.aspx

Plutonium found in soil at Japanese nuclear plant disaster

Plutonium found in soil at the Fukushima nuclear complex heightened alarm on Tuesday over Japan’s battle to contain the world’s worst atomic crisis in 25 years, as pressure mounted on the prime minister to widen an evacuation zone around the plant. Some opposition lawmakers blasted Naoto Kan in parliament for his handling of the disaster and for not widening the exclusion zone. Kan said he was seeking advice on such a step, which would force 130,000 people to move in addition to 70,000 already displaced. The drama at the six-reactor facility has compounded Japan’s agony after an earthquake and tsunami on March 11 left more than 28,000 people dead or missing in the devastated northeast.
http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/42526

Fukushima’s radioactive plume reaches the UK
Radioactive material from Japan’s stricken power plant has reached the British Isles, but only in trace amounts
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2011/03/for-the-first-time-since.html

Caesium fallout from Fukushima rivals Chernobyl
Analysis of Japanese science ministry data reveals high levels of radioactivity on the ground beyond the exclusion zone
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20305-caesium-fallout-from-fukushima-rivals-chernobyl.html

‘Don’t panic’ over plutonium in soil at Fukushima plant
Some contamination with plutonium may be due to recent releases, but levels are below those considered hazardous, says Zena Iovino
http://www.newscientistcom/blogs/shortsharpscience/2011/03/no-need-to-panic-over-plutoniu.html

IAEA Calls Nuclear Safety Summit Amid Japan Crisis
The U.N. atomic energy chief called a Vienna summit to tackle mounting concerns about nuclear safety, saying on Monday the international community needed a coordinated response in the wake of Japan’s crisis.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/61612

China Should Scale Back Nuclear Plans
China should scale back its ambitious reactor building plans in the wake of Japan’s nuclear disaster, an official with the country’s power industry association said in remarks published on Monday.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/61611

Japan Rejects Greenpeace Argument For Expanding Evacuation Zone
Japan’s nuclear safety agency on Monday rebuffed a call by Greenpeace to extend an evacuation zone around the stricken Fukushima power plant.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/61608

Japan Finds Plutonium At Stricken Nuclear Plant
Plutonium found in soil at the crippled Fukushima nuclear complex heightened alarm on Tuesday over Japan’s protracted battle to contain the world’s worst atomic crisis in 25 years.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/61607

U.S. Nuclear Regulator Meets With Japanese Officials
The head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission met Japanese officials in Tokyo on Monday to assess the battle to contain the crisis at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant, and offer U.S. support.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/61607

Low-Level Radiation Found In Massachusetts Rainwater
Trace amounts of radioactive iodine linked to Japan’s crippled nuclear power station have turned up in rainwater samples as far away as Massachusetts during the past week, state officials said on Sunday.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/61603

Radiation, Climate Change Drive Islanders To Northwest
http://kuow.org/northwestnews.php?storyID=134934931

March 31, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | - Fukushima 2011