Fukushima today: Nuke plant equipment fails quake-resistance check

[robdogbucky]

Nuke plant equipment fails quake-resistance check

The Japanese government has found that electrical equipment at a nuclear power plant in eastern Japan does not meet earthquake-resistance standards.

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency inspected nuclear power plants nationwide after the March 11th earthquake damaged equipment at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The plant was unable to cool its reactors after losing power.

The agency found that the level of quake-resistance of the electrical equipment at Tokai Daini nuclear power plant in Ibaraki Prefecture was below the standard set by power companies...

...Once it identifies what caused the damage to the equipment at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, the agency plans to re-examine all nuclear power plants in the country.

Friday, July 08, 2011 03:25 +0900 (JST)

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/08_01.html



5.6 quake rattles Japan

Updated 52m ago

NEW YORK (AP) — An earthquake registering 5.6 shook the Pacific off Honshu, Japan, the U.S. Geological Survey said Thursday. That is the area of northeast Japan ravaged by a March 11 quake and tsunami that knocked out power at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

No immediate damage or casualties were reported from the quake that struck at 3:35 a.m. Friday, the USGS said. No tsunami watch was immediately issued.

The epicenter of the quake was some 51 miles southeast of Fukushima, in Honshu, Japan, the USGS said. The quake was centered some 28 miles deep, the agency said.

The March 11 quake was magnitude 9.0, triggering a disaster that devastated Japan's northeastern coast, destroying towns, homes and businesses. More than 22,600 people are dead or missing.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2011-07-07-japan-quake-fukushima_n.htm




TEPCO to boost radiation monitoring at plant

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will boost its monitoring of airborne radioactive substances around reactor buildings.

At the plant, it is believed that dust containing radioactive substances and contaminated steam leaking from reactors continue to be released from reactor buildings into open air.

Tokyo Electric Power Company has been measuring the concentration of radioactive substances in the air at the plant regularly since mid-March.

TEPCO decided to step up its monitoring and take measurements at additional locations near the No.1 to No.4 reactor buildings. The plant operator will also use remote-controlled robots to measure the level of radioactivity inside reactor buildings.

Friday, July 08, 2011 03:25 +0900 (JST)

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/08_03.html



Governors criticize central govt's nuke response

Japan's prefectural governments have criticized the central government for hastily deciding to order safety so-called stress tests at all nuclear power plants.

In Tokyo on Thursday, a committee of the governors of 25 prefectures, mainly those hosting nuclear power plants, held its 1st meeting since it was set up in May following the Fukushima Daiichi plant disaster.

An official of the industry ministry's nuclear safety agency briefed the committee about the stress tests, which the government abruptly announced on Wednesday.

One governor said distrust in the government is growing as it has repeatedly changed its handling of the nuclear crisis. Another questioned what he called the government's hasty decision to implement the stress tests without adequate preparation.

Thursday, July 07, 2011 19:49 +0900 (JST)

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/07_34.html




How the first 24 hours shaped Fukushima nuclear crisis

Chaos, inadequate preparation, indecision, lack of forthrightness


The events of the next 24 hours brought the promise of nuclear power into question, both in Japan and around the world.

Through interviews with dozens of officials, workers and experts, and hundreds of pages of newly released documents, AP found the early response to the crisis was marked by confusion, inadequate preparation, a lack of forthrightness with the public and a reluctance to make quick decisions. These problems set the tone for the troubled recovery effort since.

On March 11, Prime Minister Naoto Kan was taking a beating in an Upper House committee meeting over whether he had taken campaign money from a foreign national, which is illegal.

The questioning stopped suddenly when the entire Diet building started to rock. It was 2:46 p.m. All eyes rose to the huge crystal chandeliers above, clinking and shaking violently...

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20110707f1.html




Tick tock, tick tock