Fukushima nuclear plant news items 31 March

China May Double Solar Goal After Japan Nuclear Leak: Report
China may double its target for photovoltaic power capacity over the next five years in the wake of Japan’s nuclear crisis, the official China Securities Journal reported on Wednesday.
http://planetark.org/enviro-news/item/61634

Japan PM says stricken nuclear plant to be scrapped
Japan said Thursday its crisis-hit nuclear plant must be scrapped, but currently had no plans to evacuate more people, despite calls for a larger exclusion zone around the crippled facility.
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/japan-pm-says-stricken-nuclear-plant-to-be-scrapped-20110331-1cnm0.html

Japan’s nuclear setbacks mount
Setbacks are growing in the crisis over Japan’s tsunami-damaged nuclear facility, with nearby seawater testing at its highest radiation levels yet.
http://www.theage.com.au/world/japans-nuclear-setbacks-mount-20110331-1cn9f.html

Fukushima effect hits uranium producer
Occasionally, during market panic, good-quality companies are thrown out with the bad. This can create opportunities and one is right at ground zero as far as the present volatility is concerned. Paladin Energy suffered a vicious bout of selling as soon as the market became aware of Japan’s nuclear crisis.
http://www.theage.com.au/money/investing/fukushima-effect-hits-uranium-producer-20110329-1ce2n.html

Radiation rising beyond exclusion zone
TOKYO: Pressure is growing on Japan to expand the 20-kilometre exclusion zone around Fukushima after the International Atomic Energy Agency said radiation in one village 40 kilometres away had reached evacuation level.
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/radiation-rising-beyond-exclusion-zone-20110331-1cnh1.html

‘Minuscule’ radiation in US milk
A “minuscule” amount of radiation from iodine-131 has been detected in a sample of milk that was tested from the US north-west, US authorities say.
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/minuscule-radiation-in-us-milk-20110331-1cnkl.html

Japan’s crippled reactors may be shrouded
Japan is considering draping crippled reactor buildings at the Fukushima nuclear plant with a fabric to reduce radiation and using a tanker to siphon off contaminated water, a report says.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/japans-crippled-reactors-may-be-shrouded-20110330-1cg5a.html
Radiation hits Japan ‘safe’ zone
JAPAN was resisting pressure last night to expand the evacuation zone around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/radiation-hits-japan-safe-zone/story-e6frg6so-1226031625236

Nuclear plant must be scrapped: Japan PM
JAPANESE Prime Minister Naoto Kan said that the nuclear plant at the centre of the world’s worst atomic accident since Chernobyl must be scrapped.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/fukushima-nuclear-plant-must-be-scrapped-says-naoto-kan/story-e6frg6so-1226031522480

Radical measures at Japan reactor
JAPAN is weighing up a series of solutions to its nuclear disaster, from draping reactors with special fabric to sending in military robots to do the risky work.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/blankets-air-filters-robots-among-nuclear-reactor-remedies/story-e6frg6so-1226031245526

Radioactive groundwater below nuclear plant
HIGH levels of radioactive iodine-131 that are 10,000 times the government safety standard have been found in groundwater below Japan’s stricken nuclear plant, its operator TEPCO says.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/radioactive-groundwater-below-nuclear-plant/story-e6frf7jx-1226031723826

Man crashes truck through nuke plant gates
A MAN driving a truck yesterday crashed his vehicle through the gates of a Japanese nuclear plant and was arrested by police, officials said.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/man-crashes-truck-through-nuke-plant-gates/story-e6frf7jx-1226031721362

IAEA says Fukushima fallout warrants more evacuation
The International Atomic Energy Agency says that contamination outside the Fukushima evacuation zone has exceeded levels at which people should relocate
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20324-iaea-says-fukushima-fallout-warrants-more-evacuation.html

Are nuclear reactions restarting at Fukushima?
Two unusual measurements could be caused by small bursts of chain reactions in nuclear fuel, says one analyst: others doubt this interpretation
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20322-are-nuclear-reactions-restarting-at-fukushima.html

Emails from Fukushima workers reveal mental strain
Blog postings by workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan reveal the mental and physical strain they are suffering
http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2011/03/emails-from-fukushima-workers.html