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Gregory Jaczko urges Nuclear Regulatory Commission to put safety ahead of costs

Mr. Jaczko said the [nuclear safety] changes were necessary for safety and the NRC should require operators to make them, regardless of cost

U.S. Nuclear Regulator: Agency Divided on Japan Response By RYAN TRACY 5 July 12 http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303684004577509021876463962.html WASHINGTON—The departing chief U.S. nuclear regulator said U.S. officials still can’t agree on a response to Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi accident and urged his successor to “keep the pressure on” the nuclear industry. Continue reading →

July 6, 2012 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

Japan’s Fukushima Daini nuclear plant might never restart

Doubts linger over Japan’s nuclear future, FT.com, By Mure Dickie, Tokyo, 4 July 12,  When the world’s appalled gaze turned to Japan’s tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station in March last year, few paid much attention to its sister atomic plant,  , Fukushima Daini,  , just 10 km south……

for all the seeming normality of the scene, Daini’s future is shrouded in doubt.

Work to fully restore safety systems damaged by the tsunami is expected to be completed by March. But even the new bosses of operator Tokyo Electric Power shy away from the question of whether Daini’s reactors will ever be turned back on. Continue reading →

July 5, 2012 Posted by | business and costs, Japan, safety | Leave a comment

Earthquake risks under nuclear reactors at Tsuruga , Japan

Reactor restarts, but Japan’s energy policy in flux, NISA calls for reviews of fault lines near Fukui nuclear reactors July 04, 2012, THE ASAHI SHIMBUN The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said it will order reassessments of the seismic risk of geological fault lines that run near two nuclear facilities in Fukui Prefecture.

During a hearing session with expert seismologists on July 3, NISA said the potential damage from the fault lines should be studied further at the Mihama nuclear power plant, operated by Kansai Electric Power Co. (KEPCO), and the Monju prototype fast breeder reactor in Tsuruga, run by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA).

The Shiraki-Nyu fault, which is recognized as active, runs north-south about 1 kilometer east of the Mihama nuclear plant and 500 meters west of the Monju reactor. In addition, the premises of the Mihama nuclear plant contain nine fault lines, while nine others run under the Monju reactor…. Japan Atomic Power Co., operator of the Tsuruga nuclear power plant in Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture, is conducting re-investigations after NISA pointed out that sliding along the Urazoko active fault, which cuts through the plant’s premises, could lead to movements of a fault line directly beneath the No. 2 reactor….

July 5, 2012 Posted by | Japan, safety | Leave a comment

Serious safety problems found in 8 of France’s nuclear reactors

This failure raises even more questions in risk facilities, such as the plant of Areva LaHague whose pools contain the equivalent of 130 cores of nuclear power plants …

Severe abnormalities detected on fuel pools of eight French reactors http://energie-climat.greenpeace.fr/graves-anomalies-detectees-sur-les-piscines-de-combustibles-de-8-reacteurs-francais   Greenpeace France 29 June 12 Network “power without atoms” received and analyzed internal documents released today to EDF and IRSN  who report anomalies on fuel pools of nuclear reactors Paluel, Flamanville and St. Alban. Abnormalities that could have serious consequences in case of earthquake. Continue reading →

June 30, 2012 Posted by | France, safety | Leave a comment

Radiation incident at Rawatbhata atomic power station in Rajasthan

Two suffer radioactive exposure at Rawatbhata atomic power station, The Hindu, 29 June 12,  Two workers of the Rawatbhata atomic power station in Rajasthan are under observation after they were found to have been exposed to radioactive tritium vapour beyond the permissible limit.

The incident took place on June 23 at Unit 5 when a modification work was on during a routine biennial shutdown…. A report on the NPCIL website said the incident occurred due to an “inadvertent” rise in tritium levels in a localised area of the containment building of
reactor-5. “The localised increase in the tritium [in turn] occurred due to the opening of the moderator cover gas line, where welding jobs were to be performed.”
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3585956.ece

June 30, 2012 Posted by | incidents, India | Leave a comment

Danger in relicensing Indian Point nuclear plant, says Connecticut Attorney General

Mr. Jepsen said that continued operation of the plants would “result in the accumulation of two more decades’ worth of spent nuclear fuel at a facility that is already overloaded.”
Without a federal long-term storage facility, the spent fuel will remain on site indefinitely.

Attorney general opposes relicensing Indian Point nuclear plant Ridgefield Press,  by Susan Kinsman, , 29 June 2012   Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen said Thursday he opposes relicensing two Indian Point nuclear reactors in Buchanan, N.Y. until a thorough and complete investigation is made of environmental impacts from continuing their operation for 20 years, including spent fuel storage, the potential threat to public drinking water supplies and relocating large numbers of people in the event of an accident. Continue reading →

June 30, 2012 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

France’s nuclear company EDF must meet deadline and spend $12 billion on safety measures

EDF Gets Six Years to Carry Out $12 Billion Safety Measures, Bloomberg News By Tara Patel on June 28, 2012   Electricite de France SA, operator of the country’s 58 nuclear reactors, has six years to complete about 10 billion euros ($12 billion) of measures to boost safety after Japan’s Fukushima disaster, the regulator said.

Autorite de Surete Nucleaire today published deadlines for employing equipment such as diesel generators, bunkered control rooms, and guards against flooding.

An estimate by state-owned EDF that the measures will cost about 10 billion euros “is not improbable,” Andre-Claude Lacoste, head of the watchdog, told reporters today.,,,, EDF was told today to install “core” safety equipment and procedures at every plant to cope with extreme situations. Emergency diesel generators for backup power have to be deployed between 2016 and the end of 2018 and rapid response teams with specialized equipment by the end of 2014. EDF also has to have bunker-like control rooms….. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-06-28/edf-gets-six-years-to-carry-out-12-billion-of-safety-measures

June 29, 2012 Posted by | France, safety | Leave a comment

France’s 3 nuclear agencies must present safety plans by June 30

French Nuclear Safety Body Imposes Security Works On Industry Fox News By Hugo Passarello June 28, 2012 Nuclear energy industry players in France will have to carry out “considerable” work to strengthen security at nuclear facilities, including sizeable investments in human resources and technical skills, said a report by France’s independent nuclearsafety regulator Thursday.
In a statement, the Autorite de Surete Nucleaire, or ASN, announced 32 decisions, including measures relating to Electricite de France’s SA (EDF.FR) nuclear power stations, French nuclear engineering company Areva’s SA (AREVA.FR) installations, and reactors of the French atomic agency, known as the CEA.
As part of the measures, all nuclear sites will have to have “hard-core” compounds which provide robust premises to be used in event of an serious incident.
The three nuclear players are required to present on June 30 the details of materials needed and deadlines for the compounds, said the ASN.
http://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2012/06/28/french-nuclear-safety-body-imposes-security-works-on-industry/#ixzz1zDlPR48Q

June 29, 2012 Posted by | France, safety | Leave a comment

NRC keeping mum about their investigations into Palisades nuclear power plant

Nuclear cops snoop around Palisades, NRC team began investigation this week, Wood 8 TV , 28 Jun 2012, By Henry Erb GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) – When something goes wrong at the Palisades nuclear facility, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission does a technical review. Now, a team of nuclear cops is investigating the nuke plant in Covert Township.

Many of the people in the NRCs Office of Investigations are former agents of the FBI, Secret Service, Drug Enforcement Agency or have backgrounds with other law enforcement agencies. They’re not looking for things that have just gone wrong.
Their job is to look for deliberate wrongdoing, things that could result in criminal prosecution.

In the 2011 annual report from the NRC, the agents investigated 227 cases and turned 77 over to the Justice Department. It’s unclear how many actually ended up in prosecution. ….. This week, the nuclear cops began looking into the year-long leak from an emergency water tank that shut down Palisades on June 12. NRC inspectors at the plant knew about the slow leak since May 2011, and their spokesman said it wasn’t them who turned the case over for special investigation.

The Office of Investigations began the probe on its own this week, but a spokesman at their Chicago office said the agents are not saying why. http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/sw_mich/Nuclear-cops-snoop-around-Palisades

June 29, 2012 Posted by | safety, secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

Dangerous to restart Japan’s nuclear reactors, warn seismologists

Seismic modelling by Japan’s nuclear regulator did not properly take into account active fault lines near the Ohi plant, Katsuhiko Ishibashi, a seismologist at Kobe University, told reporters.

“Instead of making standards more strict, they both represent a severe setback in safety standards.”

Seismologists warn Japan against nuclear restart http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL3E8HQ43L20120626  TOKYO, June 26 (Reuters) – Two prominent seismologists said on Tuesday that Japan is ignoring the safety lessons of last year’s Fukushima crisis and warned against restarting two reactors next month. Continue reading →

June 27, 2012 Posted by | Japan, safety | Leave a comment

Conflicting reports about French nationals held by rebels in Central African Republic

Bakouma lawmaker Alima Diarra said the rebels seized five French nationals and two locals. But there are conflicting reports over whether the seven were hostages……French authorities are talking with local authorities and Areva about what to do next.

Foreigners not held in Central African Republic, The Telegraph June 26, 2012  By HIPPOLYTE MARBOUA — Associated Press BANGUI, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC — Authorities in the Central African Republic said that rebels had released the foreigners they were holding after attacking a French uranium exploration site, even though officials with the company in France denied that the expatriates had ever been kidnapped.

A military official in Bakouma, where the site is, said that a plane was sent to pick up five French nationals and two locals to take them to the capital, Bangui. Rebels on Sunday attacked the exploration site in Bakouma, operated by French company Areva. Continue reading →

June 27, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, incidents | Leave a comment

AREVA uranium site in Central Africa attacked by gunmen

Gunmen attack French uranium plant, Times Live, Sapa-AFP | 25 June, 2012 Gunmen have attacked a uranium plant operated by French nuclear power giant Areva at Bakouma in the southeast of the Central African Republic, army and French diplomatic sources said yesterday.

“A violent clash on Sunday afternoon pitted” Central African troops against “an unidentified group of armed men attempting to launch an assault on the site of mining company Areva,” a military statementsaid…. http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2012/06/25/gunmen-attack-french-uranium-plant

June 27, 2012 Posted by | AFRICA, incidents | Leave a comment

Typhoons, tornadoes, threaten crippled Fukushima nuclear plant

Fukushima plant faces typhoon summer with added tornado threat, Fuel Fix June 22, 2012 Tokyo Electric Power Co. (9501)’s crippled Fukushima nuclear plant faces its second typhoon season since the March 11 disaster last year, raising the risk of further radiation leaks if storms thrash exposed pools of uranium fuel rods or tanks holding contaminated water. Continue reading →

June 25, 2012 Posted by | Japan, safety | Leave a comment

Friends of the Earth might expose San Onofre nuclear plant’s secrets and flawed designs

If it is approved as an official intervener, Friends of the Earth would have the right to examine plant records, present and cross-examine expert witnesses, and fully participate in a public, trial-like hearing on the steam generator issues.

The dispute is already having an effect beyond the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).

Anti-Nuclear Group Seeks to Expose San Onofre Design Flaws Inside Climate News, 22 June 12 Friends of the Earth demands intervener status to expose safety problems at the idled California nuclear facility to long-avoided public scrutiny. SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif.—A watchdog group intent on permanently shuttering the troubled San Onofre nuclear power station in Southern California has seized on the plant’s current crisis to expose the facility’s operations to the kind of public scrutiny it has avoided for decades.

San Onofre, a twin-reactor site along the coast between Los Angeles and San Diego, was forced offline Jan. 31 by a small radiation leak from a tube in one of the plant’s recently installed steam generators. Experts then found unusual tube deterioration in the plant’s other steam generators, a problem that’s so tough to solve safely that both reactors will remain idle at least through August. Continue reading →

June 23, 2012 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

USA: Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s “Waste Confidence Rule” – a matter of faith, not science

the NRC is now contending that the spent fuel can be stored safely “until a depository was needed” or “realized.”

the June 8 Appeals Court decision  said that “the commission’s evaluation of the risks of spent nuclear fuel is deficient in two ways:

First, in concluding that permanent storage will be available when necessary, the commission did not calculate the environmental effects of failing to secure permanent storage — a possibility that cannot be ignored.

Second, in determining that spent fuel can safely be stored on site for 60 years after the expiration of a plant’s license, the commission failed to properly examine future dangers and key consequences.”

Nuclear plant relicensing opponents challenge NRC, SeaCoastonline By Shir Haberman, June 21, 2012 SEABROOK — For the second time in two months nuclear safety groups have filed a federal action against the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for allegedly failing to appropriately fulfill its role as the protector of public health and safety. Continue reading →

June 22, 2012 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

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