Energy News.....
Official: Expect airborne radiation releases from Fukushima to increase — Seafood catches off U.S. Pacific coast more likely to be contaminated than ones far closer to Japan — ‘Gravest danger’ to public is if they eat these products
New model shows U.S. was hit by Fukushima cloud that dispersed little over Pacific — Gundersen: Authorities knew about hot particles and didn’t warn public; Could have worn air masks, instead it’s stuck in their lungs; Helicopters did secret survey along coast (PHOTO & AUDIO)
Fukushima Diary.......
[Video] Tepco’s building new tanks, coating concrete and drain construction / “Earthwork in protective clothing”
Posted by Mochizuki on December 28th, 2013 · No Comments
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
On 12/27/2013, Tepco released the video of their building the new tanks, coating the base concrete and also making the drain a conduit.
All the civil engineering works are done in the protective clothing.
3 cracks found in a channel box of reactor4 pool fuel / Tepco “since 1982″ → Cracks not even rusted
Posted by Mochizuki on December 28th, 2013 · No Comments
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
One of the channel boxes (container of fuel rods) in reactor4 pool has 3 cracks, according to Tepco. The channel box was known to be “deformed” due to the mis-operation in 1982 but they didn’t acknowledge the cracks.
From 12/20 to 12/21/2013, Tepco investigated the channel box by underwater camera.
The cracks are 7cm, 3cm, and 2cm long. Width are not announced. They still don’t know if they can remove the fuels from reactor4 pool.
However, Tepco optimistically assumes the fuel rods inside are sound. They also announced the cracks are not due to 311 or mis-operation of the fuel removal.
About the reason why those cracks were not found in 1982, Tepco states it was possibly because the quality of underwater camera was not sufficient.
Though it’s been over 30 years, the cracked parts are not rusted as you see in the pictures above. Tepco commented it is because the pool water is nearly pure water.
Retained water level decreasing in another tank area too / Tepco “Not sure if it’s another leakage”
Posted by Mochizuki on December 28th, 2013 · 1 Comment
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
Following up this article.. 225m3 of leakage → 30 other tank areas may have the same leakage too [URL]
Another tank area also has the retained rainwater decreasing since 12/21/2013.
Most of the tank areas retain rainwater, and it’s also contaminated.
It became clear from the report published on 12/27/2013, which is about the transitions of water level. The water level in this tank area has clearly been decreasing since 12/21/2013 until 12/25/2013 (As the graph below), it suggests the contaminated rainwater is being absorbed by the ground. The absorbed contaminated water will meet the groundwater to flow to the sea.
(cf, Radiation from 25m underground → Cesium-134/137 density increased 2.9 times within 8 days/ Tepco not to analyze Sr-90 [URL])
However Tepco stated they cannot assert it is due to the potential leakage in the press conference of 12/28/2013.
Tritium density keeps increasing beside groundwater bypass wells / 34,000,000 Bq/m3 from the latest data
Posted by Mochizuki on December 28th, 2013 · 1 Comment
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
Related to this article.. 1,000,000 Bq/m3 of Tritium measured from groundwater bypass well / Highest level ever [URL]
Tritium density is also increasing upstream of the groundwater bypass wells.
From Fukushima Diary’s research, at least it has been rising since 11/30/2013, it was 34,000,000 Bq/m3 on 12/26/2013. It jumped up over 3 times within a month as the graph shows below.
The measuring point is downstream of where the tank area that experienced 225m3 of leakage. (cf, 225 m3 of contaminated rain water leaked / Possibly absorbed by the ground already [URL 2])
It’s showing the obvious increasing trend, but Tepco has made none of the announcement, also none of the press has covered it.
1,000,000 Bq/m3 of Tritium measured from
groundwater bypass well / Highest level ever
Posted by Mochizuki on December 27th, 2013 · No Comments
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
1,000,000 Bq/m3 of Tritium was detected from one of the groundwater bypass wells. This is the highest reading from these wells since 9/1/2013.
Having the contaminated water cluelessly increasing, Tepco plans to pump up the groundwater from these wells to discharge it to the sea.
However even the planned discharging water turned out to be contaminated increasingly.
On 12/25/2013, Tepco admitted the contaminated rainwater leaked and was absorbed by the ground due to the cracks of base concrete. (cf, 225 m3 of contaminated rain water leaked / Possibly absorbed by the ground already [URL])
Officially Tepco doesn’t admit those leakages are affecting the planned discharging water, but various data are suggesting the leaked contaminated water is spreading widely underground. Tepco may not even be able to count on the groundwater bypass plan.
All β density spiked in the seaside of reactor2 /
Tepco avoids mentioning the possible new
leakage
Posted by Mochizuki on December 27th, 2013 · No Comments
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
Following up this article..1,900,000,000 Bq/m3 of all β nuclide in groundwater on seaside of reactor2 / Keeps increasing for a month [URL]
On 12/26/2013, all β nuclide (including Strontium-90) density spiked up in another boring on the seaside of reactor2, according to Tepco.
The reading was 2,300,000 Bq/m3. It was under the lowest detectable level (< 24,000 Bq/m3) until 3 days ago.
Tepco didn’t announce the connection between this measurement and the data of 1,900,000,000 Bq/m3. They stated they think the highly contaminated ground water is possibly moving underground, but they didn’t mention the possible new leakage for some reason.
Also, this “all β nuclide” is supposed to include Strontium-90, but the data don’t show the clear connection of all β density and Strontium-90 density.
In most of the countries, Strontium-90, which may cause Leukemia, is not tested in food. The detection of Strontium-90 in sea and groundwater has the significant meaning for food safety, but Tepco don’t announce Strontium-90 density of most of the samples of seawater, groundwater etc for over 6 months. Tepco states they are busy at analyzing other samples.
Radiation from 25m underground → Cesium-
134/137 density increased 2.9 times within 8
days/ Tepco not to analyze Sr-90
Posted by Mochizuki on December 27th, 2013 · No Comments
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
Following up this article.. 67,000 Bq/m3 of all β detected in 25m deep underground / Contamination possibly penetrated deep in the plant area [URL]
Cesium-134/137 density in groundwater taken from 25m underground increased 2.9 times from 12/10 to 12/18/2013.
On 12/10/2013, Cs-134/137 density was 4,400 Bq/m3, but it became 12,700 Bq/m3 on 12/18.
Tepco didn’t analyze the samples for Strontium-90 for some reason.
The detection of radioactive material from 25m underground suggests the contaminated water is already sinking deeper than thought, and it can reach far offshore of the sea. (cf, Fisheries station “Contaminated groundwater may well up a few Km offshore Fukushima” [URL])
Considering the density increasing, the contamination is still supplied to this deep permeable layer from unverified source.
Tepco’s original physics, “Water drops
diagonally on the earth”
Posted by Mochizuki on December 25th, 2013 · No Comments
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
Following up this article.. Leakages at 4 parts of contaminated water tank area dams within 2 days [URL]
Tepco announced the leaked water wasn’t absorbed by the ground unlike another leakage of 225m3. (cf, 225 m3 of contaminated rain water leaked / Possibly absorbed by the ground already [URL])
On 12/24/2013, Tepco reported the 4 leakages were caused by the deteriorated sealing parts on the joint part of base concrete. The leakage was stopped by repairing the sealing part.
However, they explain the water diagonally leaked in the joint part so it didn’t reach the ground underneath the concrete base.
The picture below is captured from Tepco’s report. The leaked water moved like the blue lines, but no part of the water vertically moved like red line.
It means the leaked water wasn’t absorbed by the ground underneath the base concrete.
If Tepco admits the major part of leaked water moved vertically to sink underground, they must investigate the effect on groundwater contamination.
Related article.. 225m3 of leakage → 30 other tank areas may have the same leakage too [URL 2]
↓ This is captured from Tepco’s report. Water usually drops vertically like red line drawn by FD (Fukushima Diary) but Tepco reports the leaked water moved like the blue line, so it didn’t reach the ground underneath the base concrete. If Tepco doesn’t report so, they must consider 30 other tank areas let leaked water touch the groundwater directly underneath the base concrete.
225m3 leakage → Tepco “We haven’t checked
the cracks on base concrete”
Posted by Mochizuki on December 25th, 2013 · No Comments
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
Following up this article.. 225m3 of leakage → 30 other tank areas may have the same leakage too [URL]
Tepco hasn’t checked the concrete cracks systematically. Tepco’s spokesman stated in the press conference of 12/25/2013.
225 m3 of contaminated rain water leaked. It is assumed that the water leaked from the cracks on base concretes, and 30 other tank areas may have the same problem too.
Tepco doesn’t know the number and even the size of those cracks. They are only trying to prevent the further leakage by re-coating of the concrete surface.
Contaminated water keeps cluelessly increasing, and it is not known when they are going to be able remove all the tanks. The provisionally built tanks and the concrete base are not likely to last until the unpredictable end of this contaminated water issue.
225m3 of leakage → 30 other tank areas may have the same leakage too
Posted by Mochizuki on December 25th, 2013 · 2 Comments
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
Following up this article.. 225 m3 of contaminated rain water leaked / Possibly absorbed by the ground already [URL]
Other tank areas may also have the same concrete cracks to leak contaminated rain water. Tepco’s spokesman stated in the press conference of 12/25/2013.
The leakage of 225m3 is thought to be caused by the cracks or deterioration of the sealing of the joint parts of base concrete.
From Fukushima Diary’s research, there are at least 30 more tank areas that may have the same problem in Fukushima plant area.
Tepco states the concrete cracks may have been enlarged because the concrete shrank due to the cold weather.
High level of contamination is found in groundwater of various locations of plant area. Especially about radiation level in the drains, Tepco is required to submit the data to NRA (Nuclear Regulation Authority) but Tepco hasn’t submitted it so NRA cannot hold the working group meeting for over 2 months.
These cracked base concrete may escalate the groundwater contamination.
In the seaside of plant area, the atmospheric dose is rising due to the contaminated groundwater.This spreading contaminated groundwater may even increase the radiation dose all over the plant area.
About the countermeasures, Tepco suggests re-coating the surface of the concrete, however, it won’t be the fundamental solution.
225 m3 of contaminated rain water leaked /
Possibly absorbed by the ground already
Posted by Mochizuki on December 25th, 2013 · No Comments
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
Related to this article.. Leakages at 4 parts of contaminated water tank area dams within 2 days [URL]
225 m3 of highly contaminated rainwater leaked and possibly sank underground in other 2 tank areas.
According to Tepco, they found the water level of retained “rainwater” dropped from 12cm to 5cm, and from 12cm to 1cm in 2 tank areas from 12/20 to 12/24/2013.
Because the leaked water wasn’t found around those tank areas, Tepco assumes it was absorbed by the ground. Nobody noticed the water level was dropping for 3 days until 12/24/2013.
The volume of leaked water was 225m3 in total. The highest density of Strontium-90 was 440,000 Bq/m3, which is 44 times higher than the discharge-able limit.
It is assumed that the water leaked from the joint parts or the cracks of the base concrete, but the specific cause hasn’t been identified.
Tepco states the leaked contaminated water didn’t flow to the sea.
Ex SKF......
#Fukushima Reactor 4 Spent Fuel Pool: 132/1533 As of December 24, 2013
TEPCO has a new page that summarizes the operation of removing fuel assemblies from the Spent Fuel Pool of Reactor 4.
According to TEPCO, 132 fuel assemblies have been removed from the Reactor 4 Spent Fuel Pool into the Common Pool, out of total 1,533 assemblies.
(Nice color scheme... my favorite color combination.)
The tally is updated weekly (on Monday).
Since the removal started on November 18, people's interest in the work, which had been hyped as basically a "disaster that would end the world" if gone wrong by experts, particularly in North America, has dropped off significantly to an almost non-existent level. I don't see any reporting by the Japanese media, I don't even see tweets by people in Japan who were screaming the end of the world if TEPCO proceeded to remove the fuel assemblies from the "toppling" Reactor 4.
I guess they've moved on.
Since the removal started on November 18, people's interest in the work, which had been hyped as basically a "disaster that would end the world" if gone wrong by experts, particularly in North America, has dropped off significantly to an almost non-existent level. I don't see any reporting by the Japanese media, I don't even see tweets by people in Japan who were screaming the end of the world if TEPCO proceeded to remove the fuel assemblies from the "toppling" Reactor 4.
I guess they've moved on.
Good morning Fred,
ReplyDeleteI took today off too. back to work on Friday. Good thing because I was beat.
Fukushima or the TPP which is worse? Let me see, the TPP gives ultimate power to faceless profit driven entities most likely headed by psychopaths while Fukushima poisons thousands of square miles for hundreds of years. Hmm toss up.
On a positive note the attempt to come up with a truce between the Syrian Government and the moderate rebels in the one town could be just the start.
Morning Kev - glad to see you're taking some time off to re-boot ! Have to head in to work for a bit but will leave by erly afternoon !
DeleteFukushima is worse to me - that will poison the earth and seas for decades / hundreds of years ( depending upon which radioactive materials one considers and the decay rates for same ) and the food chain will be a clusterfark.....
Syria blue print is a good sign , assuming the hardcore jihadists follow through.....civilians of course are caught in the middle of the fighting ( blockade must be effective if hardcore fighters are going to turnover their heavy weapons. )