Friday, December 20, 2013

Fukushima updates December 20 - 23 , 2013 - TEPCO to Set Up "Decommission Company" as a Separate Division Within TEPCO, National Government to Support TEPCO with 10 Trillion Yen ......... Items of note pertaining to spent fuel removal at Reactor Building 4 , Conditions for the Reactor Buildings generally and decommission type actions at Fukushima Daichi ....

Russia Today.....





TEPCO detects record radiation at Fukushima’s reactor 2, new leak suspected

Published time: December 21, 2013 16:06
No. 2 reactor buildings of the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear power plant (AFP Photo / Pool)
No. 2 reactor buildings of the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear power plant (AFP Photo / Pool)
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Fukushima nuclear disaster
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Accident, Ecology, Health, Japan,Nuclear
TEPCO has found a record 1.9 million becquerels per liter of beta ray-emitting radioactive substances at its No.2 reactor. Also radioactive cesium was detected in deeper groundwater at No.4 unit’s well, as fears grow of a new leak into the ocean.
The level of beta ray-emitting radioactivity in groundwater around the crippled Fukushima reactor No. 2 reactor has been rising since November, NHK reported.

Previous the highest level – 1.8 million becquerels (bq/liter), of beta-ray sources per liter - was registered at reactor No.1 on December 13.

Meanwhile, TEPCO’s latest examination of deeper groundwater beneath the #4 reactor's well has raised new concerns that there might be another source of radioactive substances leakage into the ocean.

For the first time, the analysis of water samples taken from a layer 25 meters beneath the No. 4 reactor's well that is facing the ocean has revealed radioactivity in groundwater.

TEPCO investigators detected 6.7 bq/liter of Cesium 137 and 89 bq/liter of strontium as well as other beta ray-emitting radioactive substances.

However, the company’s officials said that it is early to talk about a hotspot of radiation leak and more examinations are needed to prove that. TEPCO suggested that current numbers could be wrong because radioactive substances may have been mistakenly mixed during the process of getting the sample.

Leakage of radiation-contaminated water has been the major threat to Japan’s population and environment from the very beginning of the Fukushima disaster in March 2011.

Only in late July 2013 did TEPCO acknowledge the fact that contaminated water is escaping from basements and trenches of the Fukushima plant into the ocean.

Since then, TEPCO reported about two major leaks of highly radioactive water into the ocean from storage tanks – a 300-ton leak in August and 430 liters in October.





EX- SKF



SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2013


#Fukushima I NPP: Radioactive Cesium, All-Beta Detected from Groundwater Sample 25 Meters from the Ground Surface


The groundwater sample from the observation hole dug 25 meters from the ground surface in between the turbine buildings for Reactor 3 and Reactor 4 (No. H25J7) was found with: 
  • Cesium-134: 1.6 Bq/Liter
  • Cesium-137: 2.8 Bq/L
  • All-beta: 67 Bq/L

after dirt particles were filtered out.

So far, radioactive materials (cesium, all-beta, tritium) have been detected from groundwater samples from the shallower, upper permeable layer. This is the first detection of radioactive materials from the groundwater below the level of the in-the-ground impermeable wall made of waterglass that is still being built closer to the plant harbor.

TEPCO says (handout for the press, 12/20/2013) they don't know whether that means:
  1. The lower permeable layer (25 meters from the ground surface) is contaminated; or
  2. Radioactive materials entered the groundwater when the observation hole was dug; or
  3. The water from the upper permeable layer somehow entered the lower permeable layer; or
  4. The water got contaminated when it was being sampled.

The handout shows the particular location (observation hole No. H25J7) to be close to the turbine buildings of Reactor 3 and Reactor 4:

As far as I'm aware, it is only TV Asahi who covered this news on December 20:

Japanese net citizens on Twitter and message boards who heard about the news (it doesn't look to be many) are all doom and gloom, having already come to the conclusion that the lower permeable layer is contaminated (TEPCO's hypothesis No.1).





THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013


TEPCO to Set Up "Decommission Company" as a Separate Division Within TEPCO, National Government to Support TEPCO with 10 Trillion Yen


Details are to be announced By TEPCO's president Naomi Hirose at a press conference starting at 5PM, December 20, 2013, according to TEPCO's tweet.

"Decommission Company" is not going to be a separate company with separate capital but a company within TEPCO, more like a division. The idea was first floated in October this year at an LDP work group on recovery and reconstruction.

Now, why would they do that, instead of setting up a separate company? I have some ideas but they are not firm yet. I'll wait till I hear Mr. Hirose.

This "Decommission Company" will be in charge of decommissioning Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant and dealing with contaminated water at the plant. Two disparate objectives it seems to me, but clearly not to LDP or TEPCO.

Reuters Japan reports (12/20/2013) that the national government will increase the amount of loan to TEPCO for decontamination and compensation from 5 trillion yen to 9 trillion yen. In addition, the government will pay 1.1 trillion yen to cover the cost to build the intermediate storage facilities for the contaminated soil removed as the result of decontamination. The cost of building the intermediate storage facilities was to be paid by TEPCO.

Total support of over 10 trillion yen, with the national government paying, not just TEPCO. Now it's getting halfway to the amount that some people say will cost to decommission and decontaminate.

If Japan had been to print money in great quantity and spend it, it would have been after March 2011. It didn't. The government of Democratic Party of Japan, whether under Naoto Kan or Yoshihiko Noda, was too busy putting the blame of the accident on TEPCO and looking for cheap solutions. They sure found the cheapest solution: talk.



Simply Info




TEPCO Begins Seismic Review Of Unit 3

December 18th, 2013 | Add a Comment
TEPCO Begins Seismic Review Of Unit 3
TEPCO has begun a seismic review of the condition of unit 3. With the debris removed from the refueling floor, efforts have begun to inspect the building for more damage. They will begin reviewing the refueling floor with a camera hung from a crane tomorrow. TEPCO also intends to do similar work on all levels of the building but does not clarify how they intend to reach some portions of the building that fell in … Read entire article »



Spent Fuel Moved At Unit 4, 88 Total Removed

Spent Fuel Moved At Unit 4, 88 Total Removed
Another cask of spent fuel has been transferred to the common pool from unit 4 at Fukushima Daiichi. This makes a total of 88 assemblies removed from the pool. This was reported December 18th, 2013 JST by TEPCO. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. … Read entire article »






Japan To Locate Nuclear Waste Site Without Local Approval, TEPCO Scraps Units 5 & 6

Japan To Locate Nuclear Waste Site Without Local Approval, TEPCO Scraps Units 5 & 6
METI has indicated that the Japanese government plans to create high level nuclear waste sites in the country but without obtaining local government approval. These would be permanent storage sites for high level nuclear waste. This could include anything from spent fuel to highly radioactive debris and melted fuel from Fukushima Daiichi. The government has had no local community come … Read entire article »






 Energy News.....
01:58 PM EST on December 23rd, 2013 | 71 comments

Previously unpublished 2012 map of Fukushima plume from gov’t scientists: Shows Alaska coast already being impacted — “Radioactivity will almost entirely shift to eastern Pacific” — Rhodes Scholar: No one can imagine what effects radiation flowing into ocean will have on sea life, ‘other things’ (VIDEO)

12:26 AM EST on December 23rd, 2013 | 111 comments

Japan experts voice alarm over “surge in cancers among young in Fukushima” — Gov’t told to “implement measures now” and be prepared for surge to increase further

12:33 PM EST on December 22nd, 2013 | 82 comments

Navy Rescuer: Japan refused to let us in during 3/11 operation, said ship too radioactive; We were literally chased by a death sentence, radiation was everywhere — Gundersen: “Like a horror movie where beast never gets killed… Worst yet to come for Pacific” (VIDEO)




05:10 PM EST on December 21st, 2013 | 157 comments

Prime Minister’s Wife: “Fukushima calamity beyond people’s assumptions… So much hidden… I hope they will make everything public” — Inside Source: They’re now trying to get people 55 & older to work on Fukushima reactors


05:25 PM EST on December 20th, 2013 | 58 comments

Fox News: “So many US sailors coming forward” with symptoms after mission near Fukushima; “Strange lumps all over… he’d been poisoned with radiation”; Hemorrhaging, cancers, leukemia, tumors — Another 50 service members may join lawsuit

02:21 PM EST on December 20th, 2013 | 55 comments

Canadian Gov’t Scientists: Model shows levels from Fukushima will exceed ‘maximum fallout’ in Pacific — “Not a human health radiological threat!”

11:22 AM EST on December 20th, 2013 | 52 comments

Gov’t Report: Fukushima ocean plume hit Canada 6 months ago — “Precedes model predictions by several years” — ‘Human health’ is first reason listed for study (MAP)

08:57 AM EST on December 20th, 2013 | 77 comments

Investigation Chairman: “One Fukushima may destroy the whole country” — “Collapse of a whole country possible”




01:01 AM EST on December 20th, 2013 | 15 comments

Gundersen: “The real apocalyptic thing would be an earthquake” at Fukushima — We’ve got to move quickly on Unit 3, it’s by far the worst structurally — Unit 4 a walk in the park comparatively (AUDIO)


08:00 PM EST on December 19th, 2013 | 16 comments

Nuclear Engineer: Fuel assembly damaged at Fukushima Unit 4 — It’s bent in shape of banana — Unknown if pellets poured into pool during removal — Tepco stopped English translations (AUDIO)


06:15 PM EST on December 19th, 2013 | 40 comments

Experts: Fukushima is “increasingly critical due to decay of buildings… reactor blocks are sinking… alarming cracks in foundation” — “It was built very poorly, Japan cannot deal with problem alone… it’s a big problem” (VIDEO)
Fukushima Diary....

1,900,000,000 Bq/m3 of all β nuclide in groundwater on seaside of reactor2 / Keeps increasing for a month

Posted by Mochizuki on December 23rd, 2013 · 2 Comments
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Significantly high level of all β nuclide (including Strontium-90) is detected in groundwater on the seaside of reactor2, and it’s breaking the highest records every time Tepco analyzes.
This is the groundwater sampled from one of the borings between reactor2 and the sea.
From Tepco’s own data, the density has been increasing at least since 11/25/2013. The latest reading is 1,900,000,000 Bq/m3, which is measured on 12/19/2013. This is approx. as double as the one of 11/25/2013.
Even though the readings are not increasing at other borings, Tepco has been insisting that it is possibly because the groundwater pump is gathering the high level of contaminated water underground.
Tepco is denying the possibility of an unverified leakage of extremely highly radioactive water underground.

1,900,000,000 Bq/m3 of all β nuclide in groundwater on seaside of reactor2 / Keeps increasing for a month




Tepco hasn’t submitted the contaminated water data to NRA for over a month / NRA can’t hold a meeting

Posted by Mochizuki on December 23rd, 2013 · No Comments
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Following up this article.. NRA hasn’t held the meeting for contaminated water problem for over a month / The last one was cancelled [URL]

Tepco hasn’t submitted the contaminated water data to NRA (Nuclear Regulation Authority) for over a month, so NRA cannot hold the working ground meeting for 2 months.
The spokesman of NRA stated in the regular conference of 12/20/2013.

The last working group meeting about contaminated water issue was cancelled on 11/12/2013. Since then, even the next schedule hasn’t been announced.
According to NRA, they requested Tepco to submit the contamination data of the “drains” in the plant area, however it has never been submitted.
The next meeting won’t be held by the end of this year at least.

On 12/13/2013, Tepco released the report about the drain contamination in Fukushima plant area. This report revealed the highest contamination was found in the U-shaped gutter located on the slope, where is in the seaside of reactor2. It suggests the direct leakage of reactor2 coolant water. However Tepco is insisting it is because the gutter collects the fallout along the slope. (cf, High level of contamination in gutter near reactor2 / Tepco doesn’t mention the possibility of reactor2 leakage [URL 2])
NRA is possibly requesting the further detailed data of this.





Seawater fence doesn’t stop contamination / Cs-134/137 levels are the same inside and outside of the fence

Posted by Mochizuki on December 22nd, 2013 · No Comments
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The radiation levels are the same inside and outside of the seawater fence called “silt fence”.
From Tepco’s own data, Cs-134/137 density in seawater was 7% higher outside of the fencebeside reactor1. Also beside reactor4, Cs-134/137 density in seawater was 4% higher outside of the fence.
Japanese government stated the sea contamination is controlled by the silt fence. However the data shows it is not effective as told.




Leakages at 4 parts of contaminated water tank area dams within 2 days

Posted by Mochizuki on December 22nd, 2013 · No Comments
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Leakages at 4 parts of contaminated water tank area dams within 2 days
↑ The first leakage. 93,000 Bq/m3 of Sr-90 is contained.
2 Leakages at 4 parts of contaminated water tank area dams within 2 days
↑ Tepco put the sandbags as “countermeasures”.



4 parts of the contaminated water tank area dams have had leakages since 12/21/2013.
The dams are surrounding the contaminated water tanks to stop water flowing to the sea.
The leaked parts are the West and North-East part of the dam called H5, and also the North and West part of the dam called G6-North. These leakages were found in this order.
About the first leakage, 1.6 m3 of leaked water was absorbed by the ground, according to Tepco. Strontium-90 density was 93,000 Bq/m3. All β nuclide density was 560,000 Bq/m3.
However, the leaked volume and radioactive density were not announced about 3 of other leakages.
Because all β nuclide density is lower than the water retained in the tanks, Tepco judged it was the rainwater.
The leakage occurred at the joint part of the dam and also the “cracks” on the dam wall.
Contaminated water keeps increasing in the tanks, but the storage facility is already being deteriorated.

Related article.. Water leakage found in reactor2 / Tepco “Rainfall” [URL]


http://fukushima-diary.com/2013/12/abandoning-boring-point-to-show-abnormality-%E2%86%92-tepco-to-reduce-the-reports-about-groundwater-level/

Abandoning boring point to show abnormality → Tepco to reduce the reports about groundwater level

Posted by Mochizuki on December 20th, 2013 · 1 Comment
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Following up this article.. Groundwater level found sync with ebb and flow of the sea → Tepco to abandon the measuring point, “Not credible data” [URL]

Tepco is going to reduce the reports about groundwater level from 3 times a week to once a week, announced on the press conference of 12/20/2013.
Last week, they announced to abandon the boring point that showed the abnormality. In the boring point, the groundwater level was in sync with ebb and flow of the sea even though the location is separated from the sea by underground wall. Tepco stated they won’t investigate the cause either.

Tepco commented “Because all the monitored groundwater levels are stable, considering the exposure dose of the worker, we thought it would be better to reduce the reports to once a week.”
Related to this article.. [Column] Tepco’s new cover-up – Possibility of groundwater rising in various places of Fukushima plant [URL]





http://fukushima-diary.com/2013/12/1-9-msvh-detected-at-54-m-above-ground-along-the-damaged-stack/

1.9 mSv/h detected at 54 m above ground along the damaged stack


Posted by Mochizuki on December 20th, 2013 · No Comments

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1.9 mSv/h detected at 54 m above ground along the damaged stack

2 1.9 mSv/h detected at 54 m above ground along the damaged stack

Following up this article.. Tepco “Attached a dosimeter on the top of a pole, moved it by a minitruck to measure 25 Sv/h” [URL]

1.9 mSv/h was detected even at 54m above ground along the damaged stack, according to Tepco. The measuring point was 7m away from the stack itself.

Having indirectly measured 25 Sv/h beside the damaged stack, Tepco decided to survey the radiation level up to approx. 50m above the ground on 12/16 and 12/17/2013.
The stack is 120m tall, but they couldn’t prepare the crane that can reach 120m height.

As a result, the highest reading was 3.6 mSv/h at 10m above the ground, which is probably affected the contamination of 25 Sv/h below.
However, the dose level didn’t decrease even in the higher location. The dose level was 2.1 mSv/h at 44 m above ground, 1.9 mSv/h at 54 m above ground.
It can be from the inside of the stack. However, Tepco stated it is probably from the reactor buildings nearby.



http://fukushima-diary.com/2013/12/67000-bqm3-of-all-%CE%B2-detected-in-25m-deep-underground-contamination-possibly-penetrated-deep-in-the-plant-area/

67,000 Bq/m3 of all β detected in 25m deep underground / Contamination possibly penetrated deep in the plant area


Posted by Mochizuki on December 20th, 2013 · 1 Comment

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Radioactive material was detected from groundwater deep underground, according to Tepco.
It was 25m deep on the seaside of reactor3 and 4. Tepco used to state radioactive contamination doesn’t penetrate that deep because it’s absorbed by the ground.

Even after the filtration, Cs-134/137 and all β (including Strontium-90) were detected. The readings (after filtration) are below,
Cs-134 : 1,600 Bq/m3
Cs-137 : 2,800 Bq/m3
All β : 67,000 Bq/m3

Under Fukushima plant area, there are two permeable layers. This is the first time to measure radioactive material from the deeper permeable layer.
The sampling date was 12/10/2013. As the reason of taking 10 days to announce the test result, Tepco stated they were busy at analyzing other samples.

Tepco’s spokesman commented the sampling location was 130~150m from the sea, so they don’t think contamination has already reached the sea. However, they decided they won’t analyze the groundwater of deep ground layer on the seaside of reactor1 and 2.
(cf, [Column] Tepco’s new cover-up – Possibility of groundwater rising in various places of Fukushima plant [URL])

Tepco announced they are going to investigate the contamination source, but it will be only by mid January.





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