Radioactive particles in ocean and atmosphere arriving at California
seaweed along California’s coastline is already measuring 500 times higher in radioactive iodine.
Fukushima Radiation Coming Soon to a Coastline Near You, Take Part, 9 April 12, “……. It turns out the Japanese are not the only ones worried about radiation exposure one year after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plants flooded and melted down. Californians are now number two on the list. Continue reading
Palisades Nuclear Power Plant shut down after safety violations
Troubled Michigan nuclear plant shut down for maintenance,By Todd Sperry, CNN Senior Producer April 9, 2012 – Washington — A troubled Michigan nuclear power plant cited for safety violations has been taken off line for maintenance and refueling, the plant’s owner said Monday.
Palisades Power Plant, a 39-year-old facility located near Kalamazoo, has been under increased scrutiny from inspectors after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission cited the plant for three safety violations. The plant is currently owned and operated by Entergy Corporation…….
Violations at the plant included a September 25, 2011, incident in which half of the control room indicators were lost because of an electrical fault “caused by personnel at the site,” according to the NRC. A special inspection “determined the plant failed to have adequate work procedures for the electrical panel maintenance work to ensure the job was done successfully,” the NRC report said. Additionally, the NRC cited Palisades and Entergy for an October 2010 incident in which an operator left his post unattended in the nuclear
reactor’s control room without permission.
The Palisades spokesman declined to provide a timetable for when the work will be completed….. The news of a shutdown at Palisades came just days after Friday’s report that California’s San Onofre nuclear plant would remain shut down indefinitely until the source of problems with two of its generators can be determined. http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/09/us/michigan-nuclear-plant/
Fukushima evacuees will be returning to a still contaminated zone
Decontamination needed even after residents return, The Yomiuri Shimbun, 10 April 12, If decontamination work does not continue for a certain period in areas highly contaminated by radioactive substances from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, returning residents will be exposed to at least 100 millisieverts of accumulated radiation over 30 years, the Science Council of Japan said Monday. Continue reading
Fire at Fort Calhoun nuclear plant was a major danger
Feds confirm Neb. nuke plant fire was major threat OMAHA, Tulsa’s Channel 8, Neb. (AP) – Federal regulators on Tuesday confirmed their preliminary finding that a fire at an idled Nebraska nuclear plant last June presented a serious safety threat.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said in its final determination that the small fire at the Fort Calhoun plant 19 miles north of Omaha was of “high safety significance.” The finding mirrored the commission’s preliminary conclusion announced March 12.
“This finding has high safety significance because it affected multiple safety systems and consequently warrants actions to prevent recurrence,” said the NRC’s regional administrator, Elmo Collins…… http://www.ktul.com/story/17375718/feds-confirm-neb-nuke-plant-fire-was-major-threat
$Billions for the Watts Bar nuclear reactor could be better spent on renewable energy
Another Multi-Billion Dollar Nuclear Gamble for TVA Clean Energy Footprints, April 9th, 2012 Simon Mahan › Hot on the heals of the biggest Mega Millions jackpot in history, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has just upped its ante on a different game of chance: completing the Watts Bar nuclear reactor at their existing nuclear plant in Tennessee. TVA announced last week that the construction cost estimates to resurrect the abandoned reactor “were wrong.”
The initially proposed $2.49 billion reactor now needs another $1.5 to $2 billion to be completed, according to TVA. And remember, this is on top of the $1.7 billion that utility spent decades ago on the reactor before abandoning the project. Just as we highlighted last summer when the TVA board approved billions of dollars to spend on completing the Bellefonte reactor in Alabama, we don’t think this nuclear gamble bodes well either for TVA ratepayers. Continue reading
San Onofre nuclear power plant staying closed
San Onofre to remain closed indefinitely, NRC chief says Los Angeles Times, Abby Sewell, reporting from San Onofre April 6, 2012 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko, who toured the shuttered San Onofre nuclear plant Friday, assured reporters that the plant would not restart until officials understand the root cause of the cause of systems failures that forced the plant’s closure.
Jaczko made a trip, accompanied by Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista), to tour the plant and talk to Edison officials about the unexpected wear in steam generator tubes that carry radioactive water in the plant’s two working reactor units.
The steam generators at both of the plant’s reactor units were installed within the last two years, at a cost of $671 million. “The issue of the steam generators is a very serious issue, we take it seriously, and after some very frank discussions today, I can say that Southern California Edison takes it seriously, too,” Jaczko told reporters.
The plant has been out of commission since a tube in the Unit 3 reactor, where the steam generators were installed about a year ago, sprung a leak and released a small amount of radioactive steam. Since then, Edison, the plant’s operator, has found unexpected wear in more tubes at both of the reactor units, and eight tubes in the Unit 3 reactor have failed pressure tests.
The tubes in Unit 2, which was already offline for planned maintenance when the issues were discovered, also showed wear, and 192 were taken out of service. Jaczko called the wear, particularly in Unit 3, highly unusual for such new equipment. “It’s certainly a very unique phenomenon, and particularly in Unit 3,” he said…….
Jaczko said part of the NRC’s inspection of the plant will be reviewing documentation relating to the replacement. He did not comment on the question of whether the design changes might have led to the wear. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/04/san-onofre-to-remain-closed-indefinately-nrc-chief-says.html
Japan’s dilemma – a precedent for a nuclear free nation?
Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs
With just one nuclear reactor still functioning, the global nuclear lobby just can’t afford to have it shut down, and leave Japan to get through the summer without nuclear power. Shock horror, that could be all too possible!
What a precedent! The nuclear lobby won’t be too pleased its good pal, the Japanese government, lets that happen!
The Japanese government can override the opposition of prefectures that adjoin the 2 nuclear reactors at Oi, in Fukui Prefecture. And they probably will – using a hastily devised stress test program, to claim that the nuclear reactors are safe. And – it’s a pity that ionising radiation does not recognise the boundaries of prefectures – an interesting dilemma for democracy.
To be fair, the government is also under pressure from those in the prefecture whose livelihoods depend on the nuclear reactors. But hey! There are ways to compensate these communities, and provide different employment. With extreme weather events predicted to increase in Japan, the risk of nuclear accidents becomes greater, and results of restarting the reactors could eventually be catastrophic.
Nuclear radiation is more harmful to women than to men
Mary Olson on how women are more vulnerable to atomic radiation, http://ifyoulovethisplanet.org/?p=5755 7 April 12 This week’s guest is biologist Mary Olson, Southeast Regional Coordinator with the Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS) in the U.S., an organization that provides information to citizens concerned about nuclear power, radioactive waste, radiation and sustainable energy issues. In her 21st year of this work, Olson has come to focus on the disproportionate impact that exposure to ionizing radiation has on women and children. Her recent paper entitled “Atomic Radiation is More Harmful to Women”reveals information the National Academy of Sciences BEIR (Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation) VII report includes, but does not discuss.
Nuclear power and HEALTH – theme for April 2012
The nuclear lobby will now tell you, proudly, that there are no deaths from Fukushima radiation – so really, it’s not all that bad for health. Indeed, they will claim that ‘low level’ radiation is even good for health.
They know well that radiation induced cancer takes decades to appear – so that first claim is a wicked deception.
The second claim is untrue. The truth is that the USA Department of Energy is funding research in many places, worldwide, aimed at trying to prove that “low level radiation is good for you” . No credible evidence exists for this distortion of the true situation.
The list below applies to USA veterans, who took part in nuclear weapons testing decades ago. The ‘low level radiation’ that they received is exactly the same kind of ‘low level radiation’ experienced by the Fukushima communities. The cancer outcomes will be the same. But, like the veterans, not just soon after the contamination.
DISEASES ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO BE CAUSED BY PARTICIPATION IN ATMOSPHERIC TESTING OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS, Leukaemia (other than chronic Iymphocytic leukaemia) – Cancer of the Thyroid – Cancer of the Breast – Cancer of the Pharynx – Cancer of the Oesophagus- Cancer of the Stomach – Cancer of the small intestine – Cancer of the Pancreas – Multiple Myeloma – Lymphomas (except Hodgkinís disease) – Cancer of the Bile Ducts – Cancer of the Gall Bladder – Cancer of the liver (except if cirrhosis or hepatitis indicated) – Cancer of the urinary tract, which also translates to the bladder and kidneys – Cancer of the salivary glands
Incorporated into public law 100-321, 20.5.88.
“This law gives US atomic exservicemen due recognition for the unusual service they rendered, and is an expression of gratitude of the American people toward their atomic veterans The law enables Veteran Affairs benefits to flow to US atomic veterans who are afflicted. The US government m relation to nuclear veterans considers the nature of service plus the development of any of the above diseases sufficient cause to quality for Veteran Benefits regardless of recorded dose rates received. All US nuclear test service personnel are officially Veterans.” http://nuclearhistory.wordpress.com/2011/12/31/diseases-acknowledged-by-the-united-states-government-to-be-caused-by-participation-in-atmospheric-testing-of-nuclear-weapons/
Risk of zero nuclear power being effective: Japan’s govt anxious to avoid this
There is something altogether unnerving about safety standards which are admittedly adapted not primarily for safety’s sake, ……but rather to convince host communities and the public of the safety of nuclear plants.
Japanese officials are concerned that if all of the nation’s nuclear power plants are shut down, that the rising sentiment in the island nation will prevent any of the commercial reactors to start once again.
“They want to avoid setting a precedent of the country operating without nuclear power because it will create a huge barrier in terms of restarts,” “People will question why we need it,”
Top Japanese Officials endorse new nuclear safety standards created in less than one weekEnformable, Lucas W Hixson, 7 Apr 12, The government is accelerating plans to give it’s the official nod to the restart of the No. 3 and No. 4 reactors at the Ohi plant in Fukui Prefecture after the Japanese Nuclear Safety Commission approved the results of Kansai Electric’s first-stage stress tests on the two reactors in March.
Earlier this week on Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Noda instructed Economy minister Yukio Edano to draft nuclear safety standards before judging whether to restart reactors 3 and 4 of the nuclear plant at Oi in Fukui Prefecture.
Despite having only held their third meeting, as of Thursday the Japanese central government have drafted, adopted, and generally endorsed new nuclear safety standards in record time.
The Japanese government is expected to take action on the new agreement following a meeting on Friday pending some modification on the wording of the draft by the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry. However, there is no need to restart the reactors if the region has sufficient power, or if energy-saving measures can sufficiently reduce power consumption…… Continue reading
Japan: prefectures next to town of Oi don’t want Oi’s nuclear reactors restarted
Debate growing over ‘local’ reactor consent Governors of prefectures without units seek greater say in process Japan Times, By ERIC JOHNSTON, April 6, 2012 OSAKA — Dissent between those inside Fukui Prefecture who want two reactors in the town of Oi restarted quickly and those in adjacent prefectures who want to wait for stronger safety measures or are opposed altogether, highlights the dilemma Tokyo faces in obtaining local consent. Continue reading
Latest evidence for man-made global warming
On Wednesday, scientists showed in an article published in the journal Nature that rising CO2 preceded warming at the end of the last ice age
Sceptics’ case melts more, Gerard Wynn, SMH, April 6, 2012 A clutch of recent studies reinforces evidence that people are causing climate change and suggests debate should now move on to a more precise understanding of its impact on humans.
The reports, published in various journals in recent weeks, add new detail to the theory of climate change and by implication cast contrarians in a more desperate light. To be clear: there’s nothing wrong with doubting climate change; but doubts based on ignorance, a political bias or fossil fuel lobbying don’t help.
The basics, well known, are that rising greenhouse gas emissions are almost certainly responsible for raising global average surface temperatures (by about 0.17 degrees Celsius a decade from 1980-2010), in turn leading to sea level rise (of about 2.3 millimetres a year from 2005-2010) and probably causing more frequent bouts of extreme heatwaves and possibly more erratic rainfall. Continue reading
Rise in carbon in the atmosphere leads to rise in global temperature
As more and more CO2 enters the atmosphere, Shakun said, the global warming trend continues
While the research strengthens the link between CO2 and the Ice Ages, Shakun believes it also reinforces the importance of addressing CO2-driven climate change in our own time.
Confirming carbon’s climate effects, Eureka Alert, Harvard University, 7 April 12, Researcher helps paint the fullest picture yet of how increases in CO2 helped end the ice age
Harvard scientists are helping to paint the fullest picture yet of how a handful of factors, particularly world-wide increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, combined to end the last ice age approximately 20,000 to 10,000 years ago. Continue reading
Obama sends conciliatory message to Iran, on civilian nuclear programme
Obama offers to accept Iran’s civilian nuclear programme
* Tehran wants to soothe diplomatic ties with Turkey
* China steps up pressure to prevent any attack on Iran
Daily Times, 6 April 12, WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama has told Iran the United States would accept Tehran having a civilian nuclear programme if the Islamic state can prove it is not seeking atomic weapons, the Washington Post said Friday. Continue reading
Plutonium in space – another great idea from the pro nuclear lobby
despite precautions, scenarios exist in which plutonium-238 from spacecraft could contaminate Earth. If a nuclear-laden spacecraft performed a high-speed slingshot fly-by and a calculation mistake occurred, the craft could enter the Earth’s atmosphere, disintegrate, and spew plutonium throughout the planet.
The public will have to weigh the benefits [what benefits? – Christina Macpherson] of these pioneering space missions against the costs and risks of use
Nuclear Renaissance in Space, Miller-McCune, By Wendee Holtcamp, April 6, 2012 As the U.S. prepares to relaunch domestic production of plutonium-238, the space community wishes to assure the public of its safety. Are they right?
In this, the 50th year of using nuclear energy for space missions, the U.S. is preparing to restart domestic production of a plutonium isotope that fuels space vehicles — a topic that was front and center at the recent Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space conference, held in The Woodlands, Texas…. Continue reading
1 This Month
Protect Sazan Island from the Trump family! https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/protect_sazan_island_from_the_trump_family_loc/?bqFCVab&v=174511&cl=22707147157&_checksum=5e9dde668860e8231c33699735e16a1fbf22ab2cb01da50c999fe8732b9775ef&utm_source=email&utm_medium=blast_email&utm_campaign=174511
Cuba Is Not a Failed State – It Is a Besieged State
PETITION: “Global Appeal to Endorse Palestinian Right of Return of Refugees”
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