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The News That Matters about the Nuclear Industry Fukushima Chernobyl Mayak Three Mile Island Atomic Testing Radiation Isotope

South Korea’s push to export nuclear technology hampered by corruption scandal

Lee’s nuclear push meets obstacle  Korea Times, 4 may 12,  By Kang Hyun-kyung President Lee Myung-bak’s drive to win nuclear deals abroad has met an unexpected, formidable challenge from within as a state-run nuclear operator has been embroiled in malfunctions and corruption cases. Continue reading →

May 5, 2012 Posted by | business and costs, secrets,lies and civil liberties, South Korea | Leave a comment

Secret history of UK’s Dalgety Beach radioactive pollution

Secret report warned that Dalgety Bay posed a radiation risk.. in 1958 http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2012/05/03/secret-report-warned-that-dalgety-bay-posed-a-radiation-risk-in-1958-86908-23846064/ May 3 2012  A SECRET report in 1958 warned of a radiation risk on a Scottish beach – but was ignored by the Government, it emerged yesterday. Continue reading →

May 5, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | Leave a comment

Secrecy and exploitation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement

What Are They Trying to Hide? HUFFINGTON POST, Michael Brune , 4 May 12, Odds are that you haven’t heard of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement. And even if you’ve heard of it, I’m willing to bet you don’t know what might be in it. That’s because, although this massive new trade agreement could have profound implications for our environment, our health, and the rights of workers, it is being negotiated in almost complete secrecy. Continue reading →

May 5, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

Consumers ultimately paid up for nuclear bribery in japan

Consumers ultimately footed bill, Utilities gave nuclear plant hosts billions http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120502x1.html Kyodo Electric utilities, their subsidiaries and related organizations provided at least ¥28.7 billion to local governments, mostly as donations, during the five years through to March 31, local government sources and data obtained by Kyodo News revealed.

The electric power companies incorporated most of the expenses into their electricity
charges for consumers and business clients as necessary costs for power generation. Such donations are not required to be made public and may amount to more than the latest finding revealed Tuesday, experts said. Continue reading →

May 3, 2012 Posted by | Japan, Reference, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Nuclear Power Corporation of India ordered to make Kudankulam safety reports public

Make public safety reports of Kudankulam nuclear project: CIC DNA, May 1, 2012, The reports relating to safety, site evaluation and environmental impact assessment of controversial Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant should be made public, the Central Information Commission has held.

The Commission also directed the Nuclear Power Corporation of India to publish safety analysis reports, site evaluation reports and environmental impact assessment reports prepared by the Department, before setting up any nuclear plant, within 30 days of receiving them as part of mandatory disclosure clause of the RTI Act. Continue reading →

May 2, 2012 Posted by | India, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

USA’s Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s pro nuclear enthusiasts, in turmoil

The NRC review, published last July, made about a dozen safety recommendations.

 But the nuclear regulators chose not to enforce those same safeguards before granting a licence to two new reactors at an existing plant in Georgia.

Jaczko – the sole commissioner to object to the licence – argued the new project should have been built to the higher standard.

Republicans in Congress have been gunning for Jaczko since then.

The infighting that threatens to undermine US nuclear safety The Nuclear Regulatory Commission became more powerful post-Fukushima, but it has been beset by division and dissent, Guardian UK, 30 April 12,, , US environment correspondent “……….the real drama, going largely unseen amid the infighting at the regulator, is over the future of America’s nuclear industry after the Fukushima disaster in Japan last year, nuclear experts say.
“All of this in my opinion is a sign of a desperate struggle going on involving the NRC,” said Robert Alvarez, a nuclear expert at the Institute for Policy Studies. “The majority of commissioners were put there largely with the blessing of the nuclear industry, and are now pushing back over potentially expensive upgrades to the reactor fleet after Fukushima.” Continue reading →

May 1, 2012 Posted by | safety, secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

NRC Chairman Greg Jaczko under attack because he cares about nuclear safety?

“they’ve basically been doing industry’s bidding. So they tried to get rid of Jaczko.”

Why is safety a divisive issue for Nuclear Regulatory Commission? Los Angeles Times, 29 April 12 NRC Chairman Greg Jaczko has found himself on the losing side of 4-1 votes that usually end up favoring less stringent regulations for the industry. He’s also been the target of a congressman’s attacks. By Michael Hiltzik
April 29, 2012 “……   the bill of particulars  Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) put out in December in support of a concerted, albeit unsuccessful, campaign to drive Jaczko from his job. Continue reading →

April 30, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, USA | Leave a comment

.TEPCO’s history of fraud

TEPCO’s ‘malpractices’ included:
• falsification of inspection records over many years;
• covering up data about cracks in water circulation pumps and pipes which are critical for reactor cooling;
• failure to report cracks in reactor core shrouds (stainless steel cylinders surrounding the reactor core), steam dryers, access hole covers, and components associated with jet pumps (which circulate cooling water inside the reactor);
• in 1991 and 1992, tests of the leak rate of a Fukushima reactor containment vessel were faked by surreptitiously injecting compressed air into the containment building;
• written records of cracks in neutron-measuring equipment at Fukushima were deleted by contractor Hitachi at TEPCO’s request; and
• eight TEPCO reactors were still operating although required repairs
had not been carried out.”

Fukushma the Japanese Chernobyl’…a year later and politics still ‘trump’ safety…UK Progressive,   | APRIL 29, 2012 “……….TEPCO’s history of fraud…on top of a flawed Mark 1 design… The operator responsible for Fukushima Daiichi, namely TEPCO has a history of fraud allegations.  In 2002, five TEPCO executives resigned over allegations they falsified nuclear plant safety records.  Five reactors were shut down as a result.

In 2006 the Japanese government discovered false water coolant temperature readings at Fukushima Daiichi in 1985 and 1988 and ordered TEPCO to re-inspect past data. Continue reading →

April 30, 2012 Posted by | Japan, Reference, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Another example of corruption in the nuclear industry

Another Nuke Scandal: Theft and Bribery After a blackout-and-coverup episode recently, another development is emerging that could deepen distrust in South Korea’s nuclear industry: a corruption scandal. WSJ, April 27, 2012,

Prosecutors in Ulsan and Busan on Thursday announced the arrest of six nuclear industry executives and an equipment broker on corruption charges. The prosecutors allege the officials received bribes up to 100 million won ($88,100) each in return for providing business favors to a Korean manufacturer.

In one case, an official is alleged to have secretly handed over a sealing unit part made by French Areva, along with its specification, to a local manufacturer in return for 80 million won. The manufacturer produced a copy and sold it to four nuclear power plants…… The
arrests came less than two months after officials were caught trying to cover up a blackout at the Gori-1 nuclear plant, the oldest nuclear facility in the country. A power failure, if persisted long enough, could be lead to a serious problem like a nuclear fuel meltdown. KHNP CEO Kim Jong-shin stepped down earlier this month due to the incident. Seven other officials were relieved of their duties.

Jan Vande Putte, a nuclear expert at Greenpeace International, said in a statement Friday that the latest case is “a clear indication that the Korean nuclear industry is out of control.”
http://blogs.wsj.com/korearealtime/2012/04/27/another-nuke-scandal-theft-and-bribery/?mod=google_news_blog

April 28, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, South Korea | Leave a comment

Another sort of “feed-in tariff” – UK’s sly subsidy for nuclear power

The “feed-in tariffs” referred to in the leaked submission are not the same as the feed-in tariffs by which households can gain extra income by installing solar panels. 

Ministers planning ‘hidden subsidies’ for nuclear power Lib Dem worries over leaked document revealing plans to subsidise nuclear through electricity bills Fiona Harvey and Terry Macalister guardian.co.uk,  20 April 2012 “……The leaked document, a submission to the European commission, which the government has confirmed as genuine, says: “Our reforms will put in place a regulatory framework based on feed-in tariffs for all low-carbon technologies, which will allow younger technologies to mature so that in the near- to mid-term future they will be able to compete in the open market … in time, we expect that this regulatory framework will enable different low-carbon technologies to compete against each other on a level playing field for their appropriate role in the energy mix.” Continue reading →

April 21, 2012 Posted by | politics, Reference, secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK | Leave a comment

Russia’s top nuclear reactor designer arrested for fraud

Russian Nuclear Reactors’ Designer Held on Suspicion of Fraud. 17/04/2012 MOSCOW, April 17 (RIA Novosti) –The head of the Russian nuclear reactor design bureau Gidropress, a subsidiary of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, Viktor Mokhov has been detained on suspicion of an 18-million-ruble ($600,000) fraud scheme. Continue reading →

April 18, 2012 Posted by | Russia, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Trinidad’s scandal of over-radiated cancer patients

The radiation incident at BLCTC has been shrouded in secrecy from the outset

Over-radiated cancer patients at Lara Centre… Trinidad Express, By Camini Marajh Head Investigative Desk Story  Apr 14, 2012  Ninety-one or 40.8 per cent of the 223 cancer patients over-radiated by the Brian Lara Cancer Treatment Centre (BLCTC) are dead.
Continuing Sunday Express investigations into the radiation over-exposure incident at the private facility which is owned by powerful business interests reveal that the board and management of BLCTC failed internationally accepted guidelines on several critical
fronts, specifically: Continue reading →

April 16, 2012 Posted by | health, OCEANIA, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

“Atomic Annie” spills the beans on Sarkozy’s plan to sell nukes to Gaddafi

Anne Lauvergeon, former chief executive of Areva, said in an interview published on Tuesday on the website of L’Express weekly that Sarkozy proposed in July 2007 to sell a nuclear reactor to the Gaddafi government

Ex-Areva head said Sarkozy hoped to sell Gaddafi nuclear-report http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/10/france-areva-idUSL6E8FA5QU20120410
  PARIS,    By Alexandria Sage; edited by Andrew Roche Apr 10, 2012
(Reuters) – The former head of France’s state-controlled nuclear group Areva accused French President Nicolas Sarkozy of wanting to try to sell nuclear power to Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya at least until the summer of 2010, according to a news report. Continue reading →

April 11, 2012 Posted by | France, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Under pressure from TEPCO, Japan’s nuclear agency raised the radiation limit for Fukushima workers

NISA demanded the change to the radiation exposure limit after receiving a request from Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO)

Gov agency sought to raise Fukushima radiation exposure limit http://www.houseofjapan.com/local/gov-agency-sought-to-raise-fukushima-radiation-exposure-limit  House of Japan, 5 April 12,  The government’s Nuclear and Industrial
Safety Agency (NISA) demanded the health ministry raise the allowable radiation exposure limit to 350 millisieverts effectively for emergency workers trying to bring the crippled Fukushima nuclear power station under control shortly after the ministry lifted the legal
exposure limit to 250 millisieverts from 100 millisieverts on March 14, 2011, it has been learned. Continue reading →

April 6, 2012 Posted by | Japan, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

India’s nuclear bodies trample on civil liberties and natural justice

the DAE and NPCIL habitually behave as if they were a law unto themselves. …  pre-emptive land acquisition, like imposition of unsafe projects on an unwilling people, violates natural justice. That’s nuclear power for you.

Nuclear power and natural justice, By Praful Bidwai Apr 04 2012MyDigitalFC.com “…. India’s department of atomic energy (DAE), and its subsidiary, Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), are blithely proceeding with a massive expansion of nuclear power generation even as they seek special exemptions under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

They have proposed two amendments to the Act, which exempt sensitive information on radiation safety and commercially-sensitive information on technology-holders, and to
insulate the RTI Act from bodies to be created under the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority Bill to oversee nuclear facilities established for strategic and national defence purposes. Mercifully, central information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi has forcefully rejected these proposals.

Even more pernicious are the nuclear establishment’s moves to bypass or violate safety procedures, Continue reading →

April 5, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, India | Leave a comment

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