2016 March 07 « nuclear-news

Japan’s tax-payers up for $100bn bill for Fukushima disaster

Japan taxpayers foot $100bn bill for Fukushima disaster, Ft.com Robin Harding in Tokyo 7 Mar 16 The Fukushima nuclear disaster has cost Japanese taxpayers almost $100bn despite government claims Tokyo Electric is footing the bill, according to calculations by the Financial Times.

Almost five years after a huge tsunami caused the meltdown of three Tepco reactors by knocking out their supply of power for cooling, the figure shows how the public have shouldered most of the disaster’s cost.

It highlights the difficulty of holding a private company to account for the immense expense of nuclear accidents — a concern for countries such as the UK that are building new nuclear power stations.

The Financial Times used Ritsumeikan University professor Kenichi Oshima’s estimate that the disaster has cost Y13.3tn ($118bn) to date relative to the loss of equity value for Tepco shareholders.

“The underlying cost is mainly being paid by the public, either through electricity bills or as tax,” said Mr Oshima.

Japan’s government gives no single figure for the cost of the disaster, but Mr Oshima estimates the biggest cost to date is compensation to businesses and evacuees of Y6.2tn, followed by decontamination of the Fukushima area at Y3.5tn, and decommissioning of the reactor site at Y2.2tn.

Cash for compensation and decommissioning comes from Tepco but it gets grants from the government to keep it solvent. In theory, this cash will come back via a levy on Tepco and other nuclear operators — but this is ultimately be paid by electricity users, making it a tax by another name…….http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/97c88560-e05b-11e5-8d9b-e88a2a889797.html#axzz42AZmNd2J

March 7, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Fukushima 2016, Japan, politics | Leave a comment

Melted nuclear fuel from Fukushima disaster is missing, company says,

Global news, By Staff The Associated Press 2 Mar 16. Naohiro Masuda, the Chief Decommissioning Officer of the Fukushima nuclear plant, said on Wednesday that operators have yet to locate where the melted nuclear fuel has gone, five years after the meltdown caused by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

“There are melted fuels in units 1, 2 and 3,” Masuda said. “Frankly, we do not really know what the situation is for these (melted fuel), nor where it has gone.”…….http://globalnews.ca/news/2552628/melted-nuclear-fuel-from-fukushima-disaster-is-missing-company-says/

March 7, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Fukushima 2016 | Leave a comment

Radioactive contamination “in a variety of marine products” harvested off USA’s West Coast

New Gov’t Report: Fukushima radiation found in US marine life — Investigators detect radioactive contamination “in a variety of marine products” harvested off West Coast — Effects of exposure need to be studied and understood in coming yearshttp://enenews.com/new-govt-study-finds-fukushima-radiation-marine-life-investigators-detect-radioactive-contamination-variety-marine-products-harvested-west-coast-effects-exposure-marine-life-be-studied-understoo?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29

U.S. Department of Commerce – NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (pdf), Dec 2015 (emphasis added): Results of testing for Fukushima Radiation in northern fur seals on St. Paul Island, AK – In summer 2014, NOAA Fisheries in partnership with Colorado State University collected tissue from northern fur seals harvested from St. Paul Island for lab testing.

We detected very small amounts of Fukushima-derived radioactive material in the seal tissue…

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Feb 2016: Fukushima-derived radiocesium was detected in migratory northern fur seal… In July 2014, our investigative team traveled to St. Paul Island, Alaska to measure concentrations of radiocesium in wild-caught food… [O]ther investigators have detected Fukushima-derived radionuclides in a variety of marine products harvested off the western coast of North America. We tested… 54 northern fur seal… when composited, northern fur seal tissues tested positive for trace quantities of [Cesium-134 adn Cesium-137]. Radiocesium was detected at an activity concentration of 37.2 mBq 134Cs kg [fresh weight, not dried] and 141.2 mBq 137Cs kg… indicating that this population of seals has been exposed to small quantities of Fukushima-derived radiocesium… [The] 2011 Tohoku earthquake… led to loss of containment [at the Fukushima nuclear power plant] and releases of radionuclides to the atmosphere and the marine environment… [M]arine releases may be ongoing due to groundwater seepage… The atmospheric plume from the Fukushima Daiichi reactors traveled east and passed over North America days after the initial release… The arrival of the Fukushima marine plume has aroused concern for some North American stakeholders, particularly those living near the coast and those who consume seafood from the Pacific Ocean. Additionally, the potential effects of exposure to Fukushima derived radionuclides on sensitive marine species will need to be studied and understood in the coming years… Radiocesium biomagnifies through marine foodwebs…Thus the northern fur seal, a predator, should be an excellent sentinel of marine radiocesium in the North Pacific… Northern fur seal exposure to Fukushima radionuclides likely occurred via the consumption of fish or other prey from areas of the Pacific Ocean contaminated by the Fukushima marine release… the population likely has not been exposed to the higher concentrations found within the main body of the Fukushima marine plume… Radiocesium is unlikely to cause health impacts in northern fur seal or the human populations consuming this species.

March 7, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | oceans, USA | Leave a comment

Russia marketing nuclear reactors to Bolivia

Bolivia agrees $300 million nuclear complex with Russia’s Rosatom, Reuters, 6 Mar 16, LA PAZ Bolivia and Russia’s state-owned atomic energy corporation Rosatom said on Sunday they had signed a provisional agreement for the construction of $300 million nuclear complex in the Andean nation.

Under the terms of the accord, which needs to be approved by Bolivia’s Congress, Rosatom will help Bolivia develop infrastructure for its embryonic nuclear program.

The center will include a research reactor, a cyclotron for radiopharmaceuticals and a multi-purpose gamma irradiation plant. Opposition politicians have criticized the project over fears of environmental risks……..http://www.reuters.com/article/us-bolivia-rosatom-idUSKCN0W80R3

March 7, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | marketing, Russia, SOUTH AMERICA | Leave a comment

Pacific islands take on the world’s nuclear powers in court action

Tiny Marshall Islands take on world nuclear powers in court, SMH, March 5, 2016 Amsterdam: A small chain of Pacific islands will face off against Britain, India and Pakistan in court next week to try and get an international ruling ordering them to start work on dismantling their nuclear arsenals.

While nobody expects the Marshall Islands to force the three powers to disarm at Monday’s hearing, the archipelago’s dogged campaign at the International Court of Justice highlights the growing scope for political minnows to get a hearing through global tribunals.

All three are expected to argue that the Marshall Islands’ claims are beyond the Hague court’s jurisdiction and should be thrown out. But many activists and academics believe getting them into court is a victory in itself.

The island republic, a US protectorate until 1986 and home to just 50,000 people, was the site of 67 nuclear tests by 1958, the health impacts of which linger to this day……

In another David-and-Goliath case, the Pacific island state of Palau, that is threatened by rising sea levels, is pushing for the United Nations General Assembly to ask the ICJ for an advisory opinion on the obligation of the world’s nations to combat climate change. http://www.smh.com.au/world/tiny-marshall-islands-take-on-world-nuclear-powers-in-court-20160305-gnbacp.html#ixzz429kkshuW

March 7, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, OCEANIA | Leave a comment

Eerie situation at Futaba – abandoned town in Fukushima prefecture

Fukushima: Five years on from nuclear meltdown locals still in the dark about future, ABC News, By Rachel Mealey 6 Mar 16 The town of Futaba lies six kilometres from the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

There is an eerie feeling there. Shoes sit in the doorway of houses, as they do in houses across Japan — neatly placed together, waiting for feet to walk them out the door.

Bicycles rest against fences — waiting for the next journey………

Yuji Ohnuma ‘s slogan, “Nuclear Energy: The Energy of a Bright Future” won the day (competition years ago for pro nuclear slogan) .

Mr Ohnuma recalls being very proud when the billboard was erected — it stretched across the road on the way to the train station — seen by all who passed under it.

But now the bright future he foresaw has been ripped away. Council workers peeled the words off the billboard in December last year.

Mr Ohnuma campaigned for the sign to remain where it was — to serve as an ironic reminder to future generations of the dangers of nuclear power. But in a nation that has heavily invested in atomic energy, the billboard was not ironic — it was embarrassing.

The ABC filmed an interview with Mr Ohnuma under his sign on February 27 — the outline of the words could still be seen.

Last week on March 3, the entire structure was demolished.

The town is a chaotic mess and lives are in ruin — yet this job was given immediate priority.

“Nuclear energy has taken away my dream and my life and the bright future has become a catastrophe for us. I had a vision that my children would some day graduate from the same school as me, but all my plans are destroyed and there are no future prospects,” Mr Ohnuma said.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-06/fukushima-five-year-anniversay/7218734

March 7, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Fukushima 2016, Japan, social effects | Leave a comment

Sucked into nuclear power plant pie – scuba diver

Scuba diver sucked into nuclear power plant pipe relives horrific experience living in ‘complete darkness’ , Mirror UK, 6 MAR 2016 BY DAVID RAVEN

Christopher Le Cun was in complete darkness when he was sucked through a 16ft-wide nuclear plant water pipe. A scuba diver broke down in tears after reliving the harrowing ordeal of when he was sucked into a nuclear plant water pipe and was forced to contemplate suicide.

Christopher Le Cun was diving off the coast of Hutchinson Island in South Florida when he was suddenly gulped “like a wet noodle” into the huge pipe – which pulls through 500,000 gallons of water a minute and is used to cool nuclear reactors.

The pipe is 16ft wide and a quarter of a mile long.

Christopher – who is launching a legal case against the owners of the nuclear plant, Florida Power and Light (FPL) – said he was in complete darkness when he was sucked into the giant tube, and couldn’t see a hand in front of his face.

Because the pipe at the St Lucie Nuclear Power Plant is so long it took Christopher five whole minutes before he reached its end………. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/scuba-diver-sucked-nuclear-power-7504504

March 7, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, USA | Leave a comment

Radiation exposure to 20 workers at Faslane nuclear base

Workers exposed to radiation at Faslane nuclear base, Scotsman, 5 Mar 16 Twenty workers were exposed to radiation at the Faslane nuclear base as a result of a safety breach, according to newly released documents.

The workers were inadvertently exposed to a low dose of ionising radiation as they were repairing a leaking tank on a Trident nuclear weapons submarine at the same time a nearby reactor was undergoing trials………[other radiation incidents at Faslane] ……

SNP defence spokesperson Brendan O’Hara MP said: “The MoD – once again – stands accused of a very poor approach to radiation safety at the Faslane base……..

‘’These incidents and how they were subsequently handled, pose real and serious questions , not just about nuclear safety procedures at the base – but also whether the regulator the ONR is doing enough – and quickly enough – to address these concerns.

‘’The MoD must investigate and explain why these failings occur and lay out precisely what it is doing to get it sorted.’’……..http://www.scotsman.com/news/workers-exposed-to-radiation-at-faslane-nuclear-base-1-4046659

March 7, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, UK | Leave a comment

transformer on fire at Oconee Nuclear Station

Transformer at Oconee Nuclear Station catches fire Mar 07, 2016 By Amanda Shaw SENECA, SC (FOX Carolina) – Oconee County Emergency Management said a transformer caught fire at the Oconee Nuclear Station. A transformer caught fire at the Oconee Nuclear Plant on Sunday.

Fire Chief Charlie King aid the transformer was away from a reactive building. Firefighters responded to the fire at 3:19 p.m. and said when they arrived on scene, the transformer outside the building was well involved in fire.

The fire was declared an unusual event, the lowest of four nuclear emergency classifications. An alert was also declared, the second level of emergency classification, due to a downed power line associated with the oil-filled transformer……..http://www.foxcarolina.com/story/31398906/transformer-at-oconee-nuclear-station-catches-fire#.Vty8iY8h4q0.twitter

March 7, 2016 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

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