incidents « nuclear-news

1983 – how close it came to nuclear war

New Documents Reveal How a 1980s Nuclear War Scare Became a Full-Blown Crisis WIRED.COM, BY ROBERT BECKHUSE 05.16.13

During 10 days in November 1983, the United States and the Soviet Union nearly started a nuclear war. Newly declassified documents from the CIA, NSA, KGB, and senior officials in both countries reveal just how close we came to mutually assured destruction — over a military exercise.

That exercise, Able Archer 83, simulated the transition by NATO from a conventional war to a nuclear war, culminating in the simulated release of warheads against the Soviet Union. NATO changed its readiness condition during Able Archer to DEFCON 1, the highest level. The Soviets interpreted the simulation as a ruse to conceal a first strike and readied their nukes. At this period in history, and especially during the exercise, a single false alarm or miscalculation could have brought Armageddon……. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2013/05/able-archer-scare/

May 18, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | history, incidents | Leave a comment

‘Near miss’ at Chalk River nuclear reactor

Atomic Energy of Canada playing down ‘near-miss’ at Ontario nuclear reactorBy Steve Mertl | Daily Brew – Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) is playing down the danger caused by a so-called “near-miss” at its nuclear reactor in Chalk River, Ont., but says it’s still being taken seriously.

An operator mistakenly shut off a pumping system that supplies coolant to the reactor’s core, officials of the Crown corporation told the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission on Wednesday…….

Unless there’s a release of radiation, the public rarely hears about accidents at nuclear facilities, so AECL’s session before the commission provided a rare glimpse into what can happen.

The Chalk River site, about a two-hour drive northwest of Ottawa, is Canada’s foremost nuclear research facility. It’s also the oldest, first established during the Second World War as part of the atomic bomb program. After the war it transitioned into research on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and production of isotopes used in medicine.

The facility was the scene of two nuclear accidents in the 1950s, the first in 1952, severely damaging a reactor and creating 4,500 tons of radioactive water that was dumped in ditches near the Ottawa River. A 1958 incident involving the NRU reactor contaminated the reactor building and surrounding area.

The NRU reactor, which went online in 1957, was temporarily shut down in 2007 to deal with safety issues, raising concern about a worldwide shortage of medical isotopes during the year-long closure. It also suffered a radioactive water leak in 2008. The reactor was shut down again in 2009 for more than a year after the water leak recurred.

The latest incident seems trivial by comparison but could have had serious consequences……

According to a 2011 article in the Guardian newspaper, there have been 33 serious incidents and accidents at nuclear power plants since the first Chalk River meltdown in 1952. That one was rated a Level 5 incident on an ascending scale of 1 to 7…..

A 2011 post on the website of the environmental Bellona Foundation warned of an alarming number of emergency shutdowns, or scrams, and unscheduled repairs at Russian nuclear power stations…..http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/dailybrew/atomic-energy-canada-playing-down-near-miss-ontario-185900047.html

May 18, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Canada, incidents | Leave a comment

Palisades Nuclear Power Plant chronology of incidents over last 6 years

A timeline of incidents at Palisades Nuclear Power Plant since 2007, Michigan Live COVERT TOWNSHIP, MI , 12 May 13– The leak that shut down Palisades Nuclear Power Plant May 5 is one of a series of incidents that have bedeviled the nuclear reactor in recent years.

Nuclear Regulatory Commissioner Kristine Svinicki will tour Palisades Nuclear Power Plant on Monday, May 13, at the invitation of U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, who will accompany her……. http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/05/palisades_nuclear_power_plant_14.html

May 13, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, USA | 1 Comment

Radiation spilling into Lake Michigan from Palisades nuclear power plant

Nuclear plant spills radiation into Lake Michigan Grist, By John Upton, 9 May 13

Last summer, a leaky tank led to the shutdown of the Palisades nuclear power plant in Michigan. So plant owner Entergy patched up the leak, fired back up the reactor, and hoped for the best.

Unfortunately, the best did not materialize.

The tank began leaking again. But no worries, thought the Einsteins at Entergy, it was only leaking a gallon a day. That was OK, they figured, because the NRC had allowed it to leak up to 38 gallons a day. As of Friday, they were still doing that whole “hoping for the best” thing.

But on Saturday the leaky drip turned into a gush, and all the hoping in the world couldn’t hold back the tide of spilling radioactive water. Nearly 80 gallons of water containing small amounts of radioactive tritium and possibly trace amounts of cobalt and cesium spewed into Lake Michigan, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission told the AP.

Early Sunday morning, the tank was ruled inoperable and the nuclear power plant began powering down. This is reportedly the ninth time that the facility has been shut down since 2011……..

What should be of concern to regulators and the public, Jackson said, is whether any nuclear power plant has enough of a culture of safety in place. That’s especially important because of the intense pressures in the electrical power industry to keep costs low.

May 11, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, USA | Leave a comment

UK nuclear plant shut down when smoke seen

Heysham nuclear reactor shut down ‘as precaution’, BBC News Lancashire, 3 May 13, EDF said the plant was shut down as a precaution A nuclear reactor has been shut down after smoke was seen coming from a plant in Lancashire.

The reactor at Heysham One nuclear power station was shut down at 18:00 BST on Thursday due to smouldering lagging on a turbine.

EDF, which operates the reactor, said it was shut down as a precaution….. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-22394359

May 4, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, UK | Leave a comment

Monju nuclear reprocessing plant – black smoke and fire alarm

Fire at Japan’s Monju nuclear reprocessing plant? May 3, 2013 NHK: Black smoke at Japan nuclear plant — Fire alarm sounds after test http://enenews.com/nhk-black-smoke-at-japan-nuclear-plant-fire-alarm-sounds-after-testTitle: Black Smoke Detected From Nuclear Reactor ‘Monju’ During Test Operations |

Source: RocketNews24 via NHK
Author: Andrew Miller
Date: May 1, 2013

Black Smoke Detected From Nuclear Reactor ‘Monju’ During Test Operations

It as been reported that engineers at Japan’s fast breeder reactor plant Monju made a mistake during testing of the plant’s emergency power generator, which subsequently resulted in the release of black smoke and the ringing of the plant’s fire alarm. […]

JAERI [Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute] reported this latest incident to the country’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, claiming that the conduct of the staff at the plant is clearly in breach of security regulations. It also made the following statement:

“In order to prevent a recurrence of the same problems, it is necessary to pay meticulous attention to the way in which personnel at the plant carry out their work.”
Full report here

also: UPI: Active geological fault lies directly beneath Japan reactor — Yomiuri: “Extremely uncertain” if it can be reactivated

May 3, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, Japan | Leave a comment

Fire on UK nuclear submarine

HMS Torbay nuclear submarine evacuated, BBC News Devon 25 April 13 A nuclear submarine in Devonport dockyard had to be evacuated after a fire broke out while maintenance work was being carried out.About 55 people had to leave when the fire broke out as welding was being done on the outside of the Trafalgar class submarine, said the Royal Navy.The “small fire” among protective blankets was put out within five minutes by a fire crew, it said.The Royal Navy said no-one was injured and an investigation would take place. It added the submarine had not been damaged…. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-22302965

April 26, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, UK | Leave a comment

New York Symposium will hear the story of radiation contaminated US Navy men

The Story of Two Contaminated Navy Navigators,Fukushima and the Health Effects of Low Dose Radiation MARCH 06, 2013http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/03/06/fukushima-and-the-health-effects-of-low-dose-radiation/ by JOHN LaFORGE March 11 and 12, the Helen Caldicott Foundation is convening a symposium at the New York Academy of Medicine in New York City, “The Medical and Ecological Consequences of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident.”

Media attention may be brought to the gathering because of two US Navy navigators who will speak about their radioactive contamination while aboard the air craft carrier USS Reagan. They weren’t exposed by working around the carriers’ two Westinghouse propulsion reactors.

Navigators Maruice Enis, from Rochester, Minnesota, and Jamie Plym, from St. Agustine, Florida, were contaminated when Tokyo Electric Power Company reactors released unprecedented amounts of radiation to the air and the sea following the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami beginning March 11, 2011. Four of Tepco’s six Fukushima-Daiichi reactors were wrecked. Continue reading →

March 7, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, Japan | Leave a comment

Iran nuclear explosion Jan 21 – radiation now leaking

RADIATION LEAKING FROM IRAN’S NUKE EXPLOSION, WND, by REZA KAHLILI, 25 FEB 13, Islamic regime fears poisonous fallout clouds could hit cities Radiation is leaking from Iran’s nuclear facility at Fordow, which suffered devastating explosions on Jan. 21, WND has learned, and the regime has ordered millions of antidote iodine pills from Russia and Ukraine amid fears the radioactivity will spread.

Many of the personnel, who arrived after the explosion to assist with the cleanup at the site, have been taken to a military hospital suffering from headache, nausea and vomiting, according to a source in the security forces protecting Fordow.

A special team of nuclear experts was ordered to the site days ago, the source said, and detected high levels of radiation. The number of confirmed dead from the explosions has risen to 76, said the source, who provided exclusively to WND the names of 14 Iranian scientists and one North Korean who died in the blasts.

Security forces have arrested 17 high-ranking officers, including majors and colonels, over the incident and summarily executed Maj. Ali Montazernia, a member of the security forces in charge at Fordow.

The Islamic regime has put up a wall of silence surrounding the explosions, but with the possibility of radioactive fallout creating grave health and environmental disasters in the nearby holy city of Qom and other surrounding cities, it may not be able to maintain the secret, the source suggested. Continue reading →

February 25, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, Iran | 3 Comments

UK nuclear submarine leaked radiation in Scottish waters

Radiation leak on nuclear sub off Scots coast Express UK , February 17, 2013 BRITAIN’S?nuclear?fleet?suffered?a?dangerous setback after a submarine was docked for emergency repairs following a radiation leak off Scotland. By: Marco Giannangeli HMS Tireless was taking part in a training exercise for new officers off the west coast 10 days ago when a problem developed in its ageing 30-year-old reactor system. Continue reading →

February 21, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, UK | Leave a comment

Curiouser and curiouser- it’s now assumed that there was no explosion at Iran nuclear site

The IAEA Says It Has Inspectors At Iran’s Fordo Nuclear Site And There Has Been No Explosionhttp://www.businessinsider.com/massive-explosion-reported-at-irans-fordow-nuclear-facility-2013-1 Robert Johnson | Jan. 30, 2013,Conflicting reports of a recent explosion at Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility appear to have been put to rest.

(This is an updated post)

Reza Kahlili originally reported for WND on the “blast”: “The blast shook facilities within a radius of three miles. Security forces have enforced a no-traffic radius of 15 miles, and the Tehran- Qom highway was shut down for several hours after the blast.”

Kahlili’s report said the Fordo nuclear facility was severely damaged in an explosion and up to 240 workers trapped inside.

Jay Carney then told reporters in a press conference, that the White House had no information on the report: “We [the U.S.] have no information to confirm the allegations in the report and we do not believe the report is credible. We don’t believe those are credible reports.”

Iran’s official news agency, said the same thing, with the IRNA, promptly denying the explosion, claiming the news was simply the result of the Western media-fueled “propoganda machine.”

That might have ended the story there, but The Times of London’s Israel correspondent Sheera Frenkel also confirmed the incident through her own independent sources: Continue reading →

February 1, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, Iran | Leave a comment

Times of London says there was explosion at Iran nuclear site

Top British Paper: Massive explosion believed to have damaged nuclear facility in Iran -Sources http://enenews.com/top-uk-paper-massive-explosion-believed-damaged-nuclear-facility-iran-sources
January 28th, 2013
Title: ‘Blast’ at Iranian nuclear facility
Source: The Times of London* (via The Australian)
Author: Sheera Frenkel
Date: January 29, 2013
h/t pcjensen
A MASSIVE explosion is believed to have damaged Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, which is being used to enrich uranium, Israeli intelligence officials say.

Sources in Tel Aviv said yesterday they thought the explosion happened last week. The Israeli government is investigating reports that it led to extensive structural damage and that 200 workers had been trapped inside.

Israel believes the Iranians have not evacuated the surrounding area. It is unclear whether that is because no harmful substances have been released, or because Tehran is trying to avoid sparking panic among residents. […]

One Israeli official said: “We are still in the preliminary stages of understanding what happened and how significant it is.” He did not know, he added, whether the explosion was “sabotage or accident”, and refused to comment on reports Israeli aircraft were seen near the facility at the time of the explosion. […]

*Wikipedia: By June 2012 The Times’ average daily circulation had fallen to 400,120 copies, compared to The Daily Telegraph’s 573,674, with the two retaining respectively the second-highest and highest circulations among British “quality” newspapers.
More Reports:

Bloomberg: Iran Rejects Report of Blast at Nuclear Site as Propaganda
Telegraph: Mystery over ‘explosion’ at Iran’s Fordow nuclear site

International Atomic Energy Agency says “no explosion at Iran nuclear site”

IAEA says no indications of blast at Iran nuclear site, SMH, 31 Jan 13, The UN atomic agency said on Wednesday that it had no indications that an explosion took place at an Iranian nuclear facility, as reported by Israeli and US media.

“We understand that Iran has denied that there has been an incident at Fordo. This is consistent with our observations,” said Gill Tudor, spokeswoman for the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The reports cited the conservative American news website WND, which said an explosion at the Fordo facility on January 21 had caused major damage and trapped workers.

Iran denied any such blast took place, with a senior lawmaker calling the rumours “Western propaganda” aimed at influencing upcoming talks with world powers on Iran’s nuclear programme…….http://www.smh.com.au/world/iaea-says-no-indications-of-blast-at-iran-nuclear-site-20130130-2dle8.html#ixzz2JbPAQz5z

January 31, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, Iran | Leave a comment

Incident at Hanford nuclear site meeting

Paper: Engineer files police report after incident at nuclear site — Says she was grabbed, physically prevented from leaving meeting http://enenews.com/paper-engineer-files-police-report-after-incident-at-nuclear-facility-says-she-was-grabbed-physically-prevented-from-leaving-meeting
January 9th, 2013
Title: DOE engineer files police report alleging incident at meeting
Source: Tri-City Herald
Author: By Annette Cary
Date: January 9, 2013
A Department of Energy engineer has filed a police report alleging she was physically prevented from leaving a Hanford meeting in December.

[…] The confrontation reportedly happened between two DOE employees and involved a disagreement about how much money should be paid to Bechtel National, which is building the Hanford vitrification plant.

The woman reported that as she tried to leave the meeting someone grabbed her arm to keep her from walking out, said Capt. Mike Cobb of the Richland police. […]

“The Department of Energy will not tolerate harassment, intimidation or other inappropriate behavior from its employees,” DOE said in a statement when asked about the police report. “Any and all allegations will be investigated promptly and thoroughly.” […]
See also: Battle over Bechtel clean-up at Hanford escalating after police reports filed -Enformable

January 11, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, USA | Leave a comment

Gun toting nuclear plant operator disappears

Nuclear plant operator accused in carjacking vanishes By Clifford
Tribune
January 10, 2013
“……..Prosecutors seek to hold trial in absentiaAuthorities
wondered why a well-paid nuclear plant operator might steal a
12-year-old car at gunpoint. But an even more pressing question arose
when Buhrman disappeared after posting bond. A GPS device that had
been attached to his leg was found Sept. 28 in his deserted Coal City
house, its strap sliced in half, authorities said. Continue reading →

January 11, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, USA | Leave a comment

« Previous Entries Next Entries »