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30 years later, today’s road workers affected by radioactive spill

 Workers sick amid highway radiation scare http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-18/radioactive-discovery-halts-pacific-hwy-upgrade/3957168 April 18, 2012   Road workers were sent for medical treatment after vomiting when suspected nuclear material was unearthed during work on an upgrade to the Pacific Highway on the mid-north coast of New South Wales The materials, which include caesium, were buried north of Port Macquarie after a truck carrying radioactive isotopes from Sydney’s Lucas Heights nuclear reactor crashed in the area in 1980.

The isotopes were being taken to Brisbane, before being shipped to the United States. The upgrade’s project manager, Bob Higgins, says road workers fell ill after unearthing a strange clay-like material.

“As we’ve taken down the cutting there we exposed the face of the existing material (and) came across a clay material that when it’s exposed to air it gets an orange streak through it,” he said. ”There were a number of workers that felt a little bit of nausea and there was a bit of vomiting when they were in close proximity. ”[They went] off to the doctor, but obviously we need to be extremely careful here.”

The Environmental Impact Statement for the highway upgrade had noted some uncertainty about where exactly the containers were buried. Specialists are in the area assessing what to do with the radioactive materials, and if they pose any risk.

Let the Facts Speak: 1980, December 4 PORT MACQUARIE, AUSTRALIA Continue reading →

April 18, 2012 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, incidents | Leave a comment

Radiation safety fears in Sri Lanka, due to proximity to India’s nuclear projects

The recent developments in the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district is making Sri Lanka nervous as the power plant is only 250 kilo meters from Sri Lanka’s northwestern coastal town of Mannar.

 Sri Lanka sets up radiation warning system,  Apr 14, 2012, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka. Apr 14, Colombo: Sri Lanka has taken measures to establish a warning system to alert to the danger of radiation in an event of a leak from the nuclear plants in neighboring India. Continue reading →

April 16, 2012 Posted by | ASIA, safety | Leave a comment

Thousands of gallons of radioactive water into the river

NRC reveals radioactive water spill at Limerick nuke plant, The Mercury, By Evan Brandt 04/12/12 LIMERICK — “Several thousand gallons” of water containing as much as five-times the government’s “safe” level of radioactive tritium was accidentally released at Exelon Nuclear’s Limerick Generating Station last month and then flushed into the Schuylkill River, The Mercury learned Thursday….. http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120412/NEWS01/120419797/nrc-reveals-radioactive-water-spill-at-limerick-nuke-plant&pager=full_story

April 16, 2012 Posted by | incidents, USA | Leave a comment

The danger of nuclear powered drones, and plutonium for spacecraft

The Deadly Folly of Nuclear Power Overhead HUFFINGTON POST, Karl Grossman: 04/12/2012  The crash last week of a U.S. drone on the Seychelles Islands– the second crash of a U.S. drone on Seychelles in four months — underlines the deadly folly of a plan of U.S. national laboratory scientists and the Northrop Grumman Corp. for nuclear-powered drones. Continue reading →

April 13, 2012 Posted by | - plutonium, Reference, safety, technology, USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

More unusual wear found in San Onofre nuclear plant

Additional tube wear found at troubled San Onofre nuclear plant on California coast Washington Post, By Associated Press, April 12 LOS ANGELES — The operator of an idled nuclear plant on the California coast announced Thursday that more unusual wear has been found on tubing that carries radioactive water, the latest disclosure in an ongoing mystery involving the plant’s steam generators.
Southern California Edison said in a statement that investigators at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station found additional wear in its Unit 2 generators that is similar to degradation in its sister reactor, Unit 3, though at a lower level…….

The new findings show “all of the generators are exhibiting the same kind of wear, though the wear in unit 3 is more excessive than in Unit 2,” Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Victor Dricks said.

The twin-reactor plant has been shut down for more than two months while federal regulators and company officials try to find out why tubing designed to withstand many years of use under high pressure has been quickly wearing away……..
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/additional-tube-wear-found-at-troubled-san-onofre-nuclear-plant-on-california-coast/2012/04/12/gIQAWEx8CT_story.html

April 13, 2012 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

In 3 days, Japanese government runs up sloppy safety standards, to keep the nuclear industry going

 It even appears that the government intentionally worked out looser standards so that utilities can meet them in order to hasten the reactivation of Oi nuclear plant’s idled reactors.

Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yukio Edano says there is no need for reactivation of nuclear reactors stopped for regular inspections if the overall supply of electric power is sufficient.

New standards for reactivating nuke reactors are too hasty and sloppy , 11 April 12,  http://mainichi.jp/english/english/perspectives/news/20120409p2a00m0na018000c.html The government should be criticized for having moved too hastily and in a sloppy manner when it set new standards for deciding whether to reactivate nuclear reactors, even though the criteria are crucial in ensuring the safety of the public.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and three Cabinet ministers concerned approved the standards on April 6 with an eye to approving resumption of operations at the No. 3 and 4 reactors at the Oi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukui Prefecture, which are currently suspended for regular inspections. Continue reading →

April 11, 2012 Posted by | Japan, Reference, safety | Leave a comment

The danger of nuclear powered drones to foreign countries, and to USA citizens

drones have become a nightmare for local residents. Civilian deaths inflicted by drone strikes have repeatedly strained relations between America and Pakistan….. ten times as many civilians as suspected terrorists died in U.S. drone attacks. 

 the document gives the “green light” for drone-based domestic spying.

Pentagon considers nuclear-powered drones. Space Daily Moscow  Apr 09, 2012 American scientists are working on new-generation nuclear-powered unmanned aircraft capable of staying in the air for up to several months. While being able to tackle a wider range of more complicated tasks compared to their existing analogues, the new drones will not require a costly air base network for refueling and technical maintenance.

What’s more, on February 14 President Barack Obama signed the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act that allows the use drones in U.S. airspace by both state-owned and private companies….. Continue reading →

April 11, 2012 Posted by | safety, technology, USA | Leave a comment

Sri Lanka will raise safety objections to India’s Koodankulam and other nuclear reactors

Sri Lanka concerned over radiation from India’s nuclear plants, Economic Times,  9 APR, 2012,   COLOMBO: Sri Lanka today expressed concern over possible impact of radiation from India’s nuclear power plants located in the southern region, as it prepares to raise the issue with global atomic watchdog IAEA.

The official raising of concern with the International Atomic Energy is to be made in September, the power and energy minister Champika Ranawaka said. “We respect the right of India to have nuclear power stations. But our concerns are on the possible radiation affects they could have on Sri Lanka. We have already written a letter”, Ranawaka said…… Sri Lankan energy officials say at least three nuclear plants are located on the southern coast of Tamil Nadu which is separated from the island by a narrow strip of sea…… Koodankulam nuclear plant in India’s Southern coast is just 250 km from Sri Lanka’s northwest coastal town of Mannar.

Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority does not possess adequate facilities to face a threat of nuclear accident. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/sri-lanka-concerned-over-radiation-from-indias-nuclear-plants/articleshow/12594324.cms

April 11, 2012 Posted by | ASIA, India, politics international, safety | Leave a comment

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/

April 11, 2012 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

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

April 11, 2012 Posted by | safety, USA | Leave a comment

Far from being over, Japan’s government fears worse to come from Fukushima

Such an event would cause widespread nuclear fallout throughout the region and force the government to evacuate the nearly 10 million residents of Tokyo and surrounding areas, a scenario which government emergency planners are now taking into serious consideration.

It’s Not Over: Government Plans for the Worst: Forced Evacuation of Tokyo. Mac Slavo SHTF Plan.com, April 3rd, 2012  While it has for the most part disappeared from mainstream view, the Fukushima nuclear disaster is anything but over. In fact, the situation in Japan has gone from bad to worse.

Bottom line: There is no way to contain the radiation.

Even more alarming is that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and other agencies have warned that the nuclear storage pools (the containment units that are being used to cool the nuclear fuel) have been damaged and may collapse under their own weight. Continue reading →

April 6, 2012 Posted by | Japan, safety | Leave a comment

Fukushima nuclear plant not ‘under control’ as radioactive water spills

Tons of radioactive water spill from Fukushima nuclear plant http://rt.com/news/fukushima-nuclear-water-leak-378/  05 April, 2012, Officials at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which acts as the operator of the crippled nuclear
facility, say there is reason to believe some of the 12 tons of radioactive water has flowed into the Pacific Ocean.
A leak was found in a pipe attached to a temporary decontamination system. The water, once it has been used to cool the reactors, contains massive amounts of radioactive substances and is put into the water-processing facility so it can be recycled for use as a coolant.
“Our officials confirmed that cooling water leaked at a joint in the pipes,” a TEPCO spokesman told reporters, adding that “it is possible that some of the water may have flowed outside the facility and pouredinto the ocean.”

This accident is the latest of several leaks of radioactive water at the plant, undermining the government’s claim that the shuttered  reactors were now under control.

Just last month, about 120 tons of radioactive water leaked at the plant’s water decontamination system and about 80 liters (21 gallons) seeped into the ocean, according to TEPCO. The plant, which is just north-east of Tokyo, was crippled by
meltdowns and explosions caused by Japan’s massive earthquake and tsunami

April 6, 2012 Posted by | incidents, Japan | Leave a comment

Safety worries continue at Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant

“It’s unsettling to live just a few miles from the plant,” ….. Regulators also found flaws in the utility’s analysis of how the plant would withstand different accident conditions such as earthquakes, tornadoes or loss of coolant.

Fort Calhoun Nuclear Power Plant Unlikely To Restart Before Fall (includes video) HUFFINGTON POST 04/ 4/2012 BLAIR, Neb. (AP) — Federal regulators said Wednesday it’s unlikely the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant will restart before fall because of the extensive inspections and repairs needed. Continue reading →

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

France’s nuclear plant leaks after 2 small fires

Leak Found in French Nuclear Plant http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304072004577326322716346232.html?mod=googlenews_wsj By NADYA MASIDLOVER WSJ, 6 April 12, PARIS—French state-controlled utility Electricité de France SA said late Thursday that a leak was detected at one of its nuclear reactors in northwestern France, after two small fires were extinguished at the site earlier in the day.

France’s nuclear regulator said it had provisionally ranked the leak as a low-level incident and had returned to normal management of the situation after shifting to crisis mode earlier in the day. In a statement, EDF said that a faulty joint on a pump used to cool the reactor had caused a leak inside the reactor building of its nuclear power station in Penly, Normandy. The water from the leak is currently collected in circuits which exist for this use, the company said.

The reactor, which automatically halted after the fire, continues to be cooled normally and the plant teams are working to reduce the pressure and the temperature of the water in the circuit, according to EDF.

Even after a reactor is halted, the nuclear fuel continues to generate heat and must be cooled continuously.

French nuclear safety body, Autorité de Sureté Nucléaire, said it continues to analyze the situation and follow its evolution. The regulator said the incidents had no consequence on the environment.

Earlier in the evening, a spokeswoman for EDF said that lubricant from one of the reactor’s cooling pumps had leaked on the floor, generating smoke and small flames inside the reactor building. The two small fires were extinguished Thursday afternoon.

April 6, 2012 Posted by | France, incidents | Leave a comment

Japan postponing decision on restarting nuclear reactors

Japan holds off on decision to restart reactors   
* PM wants Fukushima accident taken into account on safety standard
* Safety concerns run deep, local govts want new measures 
By Risa Maeda, TOKYO, April 3 (Reuters) – Japan needs more time to decide whether to restart two offline nuclear reactors, the trade minister said on Tuesday, as concerns about a summer power crunch vie with safety worries in the wake of last year’s Fukushima crisis.

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will not make any immediate decision on a restart date, Continue reading →

April 4, 2012 Posted by | Japan, safety | Leave a comment

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