Radiation level in Fukushima water doubles in one day
Radiation level in Fukushima water doubles http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-radiation-level-in-fukushima-water-doubles-1908226, Oct 24, 2013, : IANS
The water, extracted Wednesday at the channel near the tank that leaked 300 tons of highly toxic water in August, showed a record high 140,000 becquerels per litre of beta radiation emitted by radioactive materials such as strontium-90, compared with the previous day’s reading of 59,000 becquerels, Xinhua reported citing local media as quoting TEPCO.
The operator said the spike may be caused by highly contaminated soil with radioactive substances entering into the drainage channel. TEPCO is struggling to prevent leaks in Japan’s typhoon season as rainwater accumulates inside the leak-protection barriers around the tanks.
US State Dept official offends Iran with provocative comments
The Comment That Offended Iranians More Than a Nuclear Threat Iran’s leaders don’t worry we’ll nuke them. They worry we’ll never trust them. By Michael Crowley @Crowley TIME 24 Oct 13, Octogenarian billionaire and GOP megdaonor Sheldon Adelson caused a ruckus Wednesday by suggesting that the U.S. lob a nuclear missile into the Iranian desert. The idea, as Adelson described it, was to issue a warning shot that would show Tehran “we mean business” in nuclear negotiations. American media outlets hyped Adelson’s characteristically hawkish fantasy. But Iran appeared unperturbed by his talk of a nuclear first strike.
That’s because the real furor in Tehran now is over another provocative remark, this one from Wendy Sherman, a senior State Department official who is America’s lead negotiator in talks with Iran. In recent testimony to Congress, Sherman said that the U.S. had to be cautious about cutting a deal with Tehran, because recent experience with the Iranians over their nuclear program—which Iran has repeatedly concealed—shows that “deception is part of the DNA.”
“Sherman’s DNA comment has created a big stir in Iran,” says Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “Adelson not so much.”
How could a diplomatic slight like Sherman’s outweigh Adelson’s talk of a nuclear first strike?
One reason has to do with the messengers. Adelson may bankroll Republicans, but he’s not setting American policy. And no one takes seriously his fantasy of a nuclear shot across Tehran’s bow.
Sherman, by contrast, speaks directly for the U.S. government. That’s why conservative leaders and media outlets in Iran are lashing out at what they call Sherman’s insult, uttered at a Senate hearing earlier this month. One hard-line paper is calling for a boycott of the talks if she’s present. A cartoon published by Iran’s Fars news agency depicts Sherman as a broom-riding witch…….
the flap also goes to a core problem with the nuclear talks: mutual distrust. The U.S. worries that Iran is feigning flexibility to win relief from sanctions, with no real intent to halt its nuclear program. Iran thinks America sees the nuclear issue as a stalking horse for regime change. The parallel suspicions could make a deal impossible…… http://swampland.time.com/2013/10/24/the-comment-that-offended-iranians-more-than-a-nuclear-threat/#ixzz2ilvRuSjn
Britain embarks on a lose – lose nuclear power program
Costs for renewables, on the other hand, are expected to drop further – the world-wide boom in investing in these technologies has just begun. And, in contrast to uranium, the “fuel” for wind and solar power is locally sourced and abundant in Britain, driving towards a more energy secure and independent country – the real win-win situation for everybody.
New nuclear is a lose-lose situation for Britain http://theconversation.com/new-nuclear-is-a-lose-lose-situation-for-britain-19530 Matthias Reeg 24 Oct 13, The first new nuclear power station in Britain in nearly 20 years is to be built, an announcement that comes only two and a half years after the disaster at Fukushima focused the world’s attention the drawbacks of nuclear power. At a first glance it looks like the nuclear industry is back in business in Europe.
The deal between French energy giant EDF, which operates Britain’s existing nuclear power plants, and the planned Hinkley Point C plant in Somerset, and the British government was pitched as a win-win situation for everybody. The consumers are assured of their electricity supply, the government invests in jobs and bolsters a “cutting-edge” low carbon technology that will help Britain hit it’s CO2 emissions targets, and EDF secures a profit margin of 10%.
The deal guarantees EDF a price of £92.50 (about €110) per megawatt hour (MWh) for 35 years from the time the plant starts generating, inflation linked to the consumer price index. The UK government, in its overflowing generosity, has also agreed tounderwrite 65% of the £16 billion cost of building the plant.
But looking at the numbers more closely reveals a different picture. A picture, in fact, that is entirely the opposite. The deal is a confession in public, a statement of failure of a technology that was never and probably will never be built and operated at competitive cost. Continue reading
Japan can succeed with a zero nuclear energy policy
Japan can reject nuclear energy Channelling money and resources into constructing a recycling society based on natural resources is a better bet than building disposal sites for toxic waste Gulf News, By Junichiro
Koizumi Former prime minister of Japan October 24, 2013 I believe that the Japanese government and the Liberal Democratic Party should adopt a zero nuclear energy policy. Pursuing this policy will unify the people in their effort to transform themselves into a recycling-oriented society that relies on nature as a source of energy, not nuclear power generation. Alternatives to nuclear power as an energy source will certainly be discovered by those with sufficient know-how…….
Political leaders should establish a council that brings together the wisdom of nuclear power experts and intellectuals who support a zero nuclear energy policy. This should be followed by efforts to implement policies proposed by the panel.
Success in advancing this process would help secure the technical experts needed to decommission nuclear reactors, while also coming up with various ideas to help create jobs and develop alternative energy sources…… Continue reading
Germany’s people powered renewable energy success
Three reasons Germans are killing it on renewable energy http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/three-reasons-germans-are-killing-it-on-renewable-energy-56628 By John Farrell on 24 October 2013 CleanTechnica Germany is racing past 20% renewable energy on its electricity grid, but news stories stridently warn that this new wind and solar power is costing “billions.” But often left out (or buried far from the lede) is the overwhelming popularity of the country’s relentless focus on energy change (energiewende).
How can a supposedly expensive effort to clean up the energy supply be so popular?
1. It’s about the cost, not the price
Most news stories focus on the cost of electricity in Germany, which has some of the highest rates per kilowatt-hour in the world. But they don’t note that the average German electricity bill – about $100 a month – is the same as for most Americans. Germans are much more efficient users of energy than most, so they can afford higher rates without having higher bills. (Note to self: check out options for energy efficiency).
Ger,amy’s people-powered renewabl eenergy success
2. It’s about vision Continue reading
Critically dangerous removal of spent nuclear fuel from Fukushima reactor no 4
TEPCO prepares for critical removal of spent fuel from Fukushima reactor http://japandailypress.com/tepco-prepares-for-critical-removal-of-spent-fuel-from-fukushima-reactor-2438441/ Oct 24, 2013 John Hofilena Fukushima nuclear power plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co.(TEPCO) is prepping for one of its most critical and dangerous processes to date in its incident-filled cleanup of what has been called the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. Starting in November, the embattled operator will be removing 400 tons of spent nuclear fuel from Fukushima’s reactor no. 4, where even a little mistake may result in a totally new nuclear disaster for Japan. The operation is scheduled to start in the beginning of November and be completed by around the end of 2014.
Under normal circumstances, the operation would take around 100 days. TEPCO had initially planned for this process to take two years, but due to the urgency of the situation – a minor earthquake could trigger an uncontrolled fuel leak – they reduced the schedule to one year. In this process, TEPCO will be removing more than 1,300 used fuel rod assemblies, packing radiation 14,000 times the equivalent of the Hiroshima nuclear bomb, from their cooling pool. Normally, this would be a computer-controlled process, but due to the situation at Fukushima, this time it has to be done completely manually – compounding the danger and risk. “The operation to begin removing fuel from such a severely damaged pool has never been attempted before. The rods are unwieldy and very heavy, each one weighing two-thirds of a ton,” says fallout researcher Christina Consolo.
Should this attempt fail, a mishandled fuel rod could be exposed to air and catch fire, resulting in large quantities of radiation released into the atmosphere. In the worst-case scenario, the cooling pool could crash from its crane to the ground, dumping the rods together into a pile that could fission and cause an explosion many times worse than in March 2011. “The worst-case scenario could play out in death to billions of people. A true apocalypse,” Consolo said. The concern is palpable and real, as TEPCO’s track record these past few months have been less than stellar. Leaks have hounded the cooling process of the molten down reactors, resulting in radioactive waste water freely and daily flowing into the Pacific Ocean.
Overuse of medical radiation in the interests of profit
Overuse of Radiation Therapy Services When Urologists Profit Through Self-Referral Science Daily, Oct. 24, 2013 — A comprehensive review of Medicare claims for more than 45,000 patients from 2005 through 2010 found that nearly all of the 146 percent increase in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for prostate cancer among urologists with an ownership interest in the treatment was due to self-referral, according to new research, “Urologists’ Use of Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer,” released today in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) for its October 24, 2013 issue. This study corroborates the increased IMRT treatment rates among self-referrers reported in the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) August 2013 report, “Medicare: Higher Use of Costly Prostate Cancer Treatment by Providers Who Self-Refer Warrants Scrutiny.”…….
The NEJM report concludes that “men treated by self-referring urologists, as compared with men treated by non-self-referring urologists, are much more likely to undergo IMRT, a treatment with a high reimbursement rate, rather than less expensive options, despite evidence that all treatments yield similar outcomes.” Continue reading
Effect of low energy electrons on DNA
Understanding DNA damage http://esciencenews.com/articles/2013/10/25/understanding.dna.damage?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+eScienceNews%2Fpopular+(e!+Science+News+-+Popular, October 25, 2013 Every day, all day, our DNA gets beaten up by chemicals and radiation — but remarkably, most of us stay healthy. Now, an investigation by a team of French and Canadian researchers has produced insights into a little-studied but common radiation threat to DNA: low-energy electrons (LEEs), with energies of 0-15 electron volts. The team has devised the first rough model of a close DNA cellular environment under threat from LEEs, revealing for the first time their effects on DNA in natural, biological conditions. Their work appears in The Journal of Chemical Physics, which is produced by AIP Publishing
The team’s work is an important step forward in understanding how LEEs injure DNA because it provides a realistic experimental platform for analysis of results. The goal is to use this knowledge to improve current uses of radiation, such as in cancer treatments.
“The way by which these electrons can damage DNA, and how much damage they inflict, quantitatively, is of major importance not only for general radiation protection purposes, but also for improving the efficiency and safety of therapeutic and diagnostic radiation therapy,” said Michel Fromm, the lead researcher from Université de Franche-Comté in Besançon, France, whose expertise is in creating nanometer-scaled DNA layers. His co-author on the paper is Leon Sanche, of Sherbrooke University Québec, Canada, who is one of the world’s leading authorities on LEE research.
The team explored specific features of a small DNA molecule called a plasmid on a specialized thin film they created, which was irradiated by an electron gun. The impact produced transient particles called anions, which dissociate into “pieces” of DNA. When analyzed, these molecular fragments provide insight into the mechanisms of DNA strand breaks and other DNA injuries that health researchers seek to understand, repair and prevent.
“The fascinating point is that each time the close environment of DNA changes, new mechanisms of interaction of LEEs appear,” Fromm said.
What will be the effects of strange ‘spheres’ of radioactive material from Fukushima?
Scientists: ‘Spheres’ of radioactive material from Fukushima reported for first time — Ball-like particles composed of cesium, iron, zinc — Solid and insoluble in water — Impact on human health needs to be examined (PHOTOS) http://enenews.com/scientists-spheres-radioactive-material-fukushima-reported-first-time-ball-like-particles-composed-cesium-iron-zinc-solid-insoluble-water-impact-human-health-be-examined-photos
Title: Emission of spherical cesium-bearing particles from an early stage of the Fukushima nuclear accident
Source: Scientific Reports (Nature Publishing Group)
Authors: Kouji Adachi, Mizuo Kajino, Yuji Zaizen & Yasuhito Igarashi
:Aug. 30, 2013
The Fukushima nuclear accident released radioactive materials into the environment over the entire Northern Hemisphere […] we still do not know the exact physical and chemical properties of the radioactive materials. This study directly observed spherical Cs-bearing particles emitted during a relatively early stage (March 14-15) of the accident. In contrast to the Cs-bearing radioactive materials that are currently assumed, these particles are larger, contain Fe, Zn, and Cs, and are water insoluble. Our simulation indicates that the spherical Cs-bearing particles mainly fell onto the ground by dry deposition. The finding of the spherical Cs particles will be a key to understand the processes of the accident and to accurately evaluate the health impacts and the residence time in the environment.
[…] Although the accident has global impacts, we still do not know exactly what happened in the reactors during the accident […]
We measured the radioactive materials that were collected in the filter at ground level on March 14-15 […] we counted approximately 100 spots caused by radioactive materials, suggesting a concentration of approximately 10 radioactive particles per m³. […]
This study reports for the first time the presence of spherical radioactive Cs-bearing particles emitted from the FNPP during a relatively early stage (March 14-15) of the accident. The particles coexist with Fe, Zn, and possibly other elements, and their diameters are approximately 2 μm. Because these elements were evenly distributed within the particle, we conclude that they are internally mixed and form an alloy. […] Due to its spherical shape and composition, the particle is likely solid and is largely insoluble in water. […]
The spherical Cs-bearing particles likely have longer retention times on the land surface than those of the water-soluble Cs particles. The retention time of the particles in the soil or other environments needs to be reconsidered.
See also: Journal: Unprecedented phenomenon from using saltwater in Fukushima reactors — Forming new uranium compounds able to travel long distances… “like carbon buckyballs”
Call to France to end secrecy about the state of Mururoa Atoll
Paris Urged To Release Information On Moruroa Atoll http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2013/October/10-25-08.htm
French Polynesia Greens want to know about risks of collapse WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Oct. 24, 2013) – The Greens in French Polynesia are urging Paris to give information about the risks of Moruroa atoll collapsing.
The former nuclear weapons test site is a no-go zone, which France has kept despite promising to return it to French Polynesia after the end of the testing regime in 1996.
France is refusing access to independent monitors while saying the chance of a collapse is practically nil.
A spokesperson for the Greens in Tahiti, Olivier Champion, says France has a record of lying about the tests and their effects, and many fear a Fukushima-like disaster is possible.”Transparency, of course, and another thing, a plan what to do in case of… if the reef barrier of Moruroa and Fangataufa is collapsing, what is the plan? What can we do? How can we react?”
Olivier Champion says the chain of command via France is so long that a possible tsunami would hit nearby atolls before a local warning is issued.
He says nuclear contamination could imperil the livelihood of vast areas of the Pacific. Radio New Zealand International: www.rnzi.com
Radioactive thorium 232 and cerium found in bodies of cancer victims
The nuclear physicist Evandro Lodi Rizzini of Brescia University and CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) found elevated levels of radioactive thorium 232 and cerium (proving that the thorium was man-made) in the tissues of 15 of 18 bodies of Quirra-area shepherds who died of cancer between 1995 and 2000.
On March 24, 2012 Fiordalisi indicted twenty people on charges of “willful omission of precautions against injury and aggravated disasters or because they falsely certified the absence of pollution with the aim to “hide the environmental disaster.” The documents from Fiordalisi’s investigation have now been turned over to a tribunal for prosecution. Read More Here… http://www.nonukes.it/rna/nothorium/news200.html
7.3 earthquake off Japan’s East coast shakes Tokyo
Tokyo shaken by magnitude 7.3 earthquake off Japan’s east coast, SMH, October 26, 2013 Tokyo: A 20-centimetre tsunami has hit Japan after a powerful and shallow undersea quake, broadcaster NHK said, although there were no immediate signs of serious damage or injury.
People were being warned to stay away from the coast with the small wave rolling ashore in Ishinomaki around an hour after the 7.1 magnitude quake.
Workers at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant were “ordered to evacuate from the waterfront”, Kyodo reported, also quoting the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) as saying no new abnormalities had been found at the power station.
The quake struck at a depth of 10km at 2.10am local time, 327km southeast of Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture, according to the US Geological Survey……http://www.smh.com.au/world/tokyo-shaken-by-magnitude-73-earthquake-off-japans-east-coast-20131026-2w7xd.html
Oconee Nuclear Station – one reactor shut down
1 reactor shut down at Oconee Nuclear Station The Tribune, : October 25, 2013 By JEFFREY COLLINS — Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Oconee Nuclear Station near Seneca had to shut down one of its three reactors after a problem in the water system that helps generate electricity, federal regulators said.
Unit 3 at the plant was manually shut down by Duke Energy around 6 a.m. Thursday, about four minutes after the problem was detected, Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Roger Hannah said.
A control valve in the plant’s water system started causing changes in the flow of water that generates steam to turn the turbines and create power. Engineers shut down the reactor before it was automatically turned off, and there was no danger to the public, Hannah said……. The shutdown did come in the same month the Government Accountability Office released a report about nuclear plant safety. Since 2000, the Oconee Nuclear Station reported the most safety violations of any nuclear plant in the Southeast.
The plant reported 163 lower-level violations and 14 higher-level violations. Lower-level violations pose very low risk, such as improper upkeep of a transformer, while higher-level violations range in significance, such as an electrical system that caused a fire…….. The Browns Ferry plant in Decatur, Ala., reported 135 lower-level violations and six higher-level violations, while the Palo Verde plant in Wintersburg, Ariz., reported 299 lower-level violations and five higher-level violations since 2000. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/10/25/2749832/1-reactor-shut-down-at-oconee.html
Rapid development in wind power technology promises greater energy supply
Wind power could generate 18% of global power by 2050 http://www.enn.com/business/article/46587 Wind power could generate up to 18% of the world’s electricity by 2050, compared with 2.6% today, according to new IEA research. The Technology Roadmap: Wind Energy — 2013 Edition finds that nearly 300 gigawatts of current wind power worldwide must increase eight- to ten-fold to achieve the roadmap’s vision, with the more than USD 78 billion in investment in 2012 progressively reaching USD 150 billion per year.
The report, an update of a document first published in 2009, envisages a much larger penetration of wind power than the 12% share on global electricity generation by 2050 considered in the first roadmap.
It sees China overtaking OECD Europe as the leading producer of wind power by 2020 or 2025, with the United States ranked third. Wind power deployment under this vision would save up to 4.8 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions per year by 2050, with China providing by far the largest reductions. The reduction is equivalent to more than the current European Union annual emissions.
Recent improvement in wind power technologies as well as the changing global energy context explain the higher long-term target. Turbines are getting higher, stronger and lighter, while masts and blades are growing even faster than rated capacity, allowing turbines to capture lower-speed winds and produce more regular output. This facilitates installation in places beyond the best windy spots on mountain ridges or seashores as well as integration into power systems despite the variability of winds.
The cost of land-based wind power is close to competitive with other sources of electricity in an increasing set of circumstances. In some countries such as Brazil, wind power has prevailed over fossil alternatives in auctions for long-term power purchases, thanks to the hedge it provides against possible future price increases for fossil fuels. Offshore wind power remains expensive and technically challenging today, but has an important long-term potential. The roadmap lists the actions — by governments, industry , research centres, etc. — to target a reduction in wind power costs of 25% on land and 45% offshore by 2050.
But several obstacles could delay progress, including financing, grid integration issues and difficulties with permits and public acceptance. To achieve high penetrations of variable wind power without diminishing system reliability, improvements are needed in grid infrastructure and in the flexibility of power systems as well as in the design of electricity markets.
Careless behaviour by USA nuclear Air Force officials
Nuclear officers left crucial blast doors open, according to AP report The Verge, By Russell Brandom on October 22, 2013 According to an exclusive report by the Associated Press, Air Force officers entrusted with nuclear launch codes have been caught leaving open the blast doors to their underground command post on two separate occasions. The doors are a crucial element of American nuclear security, ensuring that even if the outer facility is compromised, attackers will not be able to reach the codes required to launch a nuclear attack. The AP’s sources say similar violations are much more common than is publicly reported.
There’s no evidence that any facilities or launch codes were compromised, but the breach of protocol raises serious questions about the security of the US nuclear arsenal, especially after the arsenal’s commander, Maj. General Michael Carey, was abruptly firedlast week. In May, three officers from a North Dakota nuclear base were relieved for a lack of “proper attitude.” http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/22/4867234/nuclear-officers-left-crucial-blast-doors-open-according-to-ap-report
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