Update #24: July 3, 2011
I find the first two stories at NHK this morning rather odd in relation to remarks by the the new Nuclear Crisis Minister, Hosono.
In the first story, lifting emergency evacuation preparation orders seems a bit . . ahem . . . premature to me.
In the second story, after seeing the recorded contamination figures exceed the legal limit for the evacuation of residents, what does the new minister do?
Apparently nothing: Just tells the workers to keep accurate records "for the safety of the people" and then says he wants people to be able to return home as soon as possible. This, despite the many opinions of experts who believe these areas of Japan will be uninhabitable for many decades, if not centuries.
Seems the "Don't Worry, Be Happy" message is his mandate.
Preparations underway for nitrogen injection
"Preparations are underway to start injecting nitrogen into the Number 3 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant by July 17th.
Tokyo Electric Power Company, which operates the plant, had planned to start injecting nitrogen into the first 3 reactors by that date to prevent hydrogen explosions.
But high levels of radiation on the floor of the Number 3 reactor building, caused by contaminated dust spread by the previous explosion, have delayed the start of the work.
The utility started cleaning the floor with a robot on Friday, but radiation levels remained between 50 to 186 millisieverts per hour as of Saturday, although they fell at 9 of the 16 locations measured.
The company began covering the floor with steel sheets on Sunday to reduce the radiation levels by two-thirds.
The utility will investigate the piping to be used for the injection on Wednesday, and start connecting the pipes on Friday, so the injection can begin by July 17th, as scheduled.
Nuclear Crisis Minister Goshi Hosono said he wants to consider lifting the order to prepare for the emergency evacuation of certain areas after confirming that another hydrogen explosion will not occur.
All eyes are on whether the injection can be started as planned."
Sunday, July 03, 2011 23:21 +0900 (JST)
New nuke minister inspects radiation monitoring
"Japan's new nuclear crisis minister has inspected the monitoring of radiation levels in the evacuation zone around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Goshi Hosono on Sunday visited Iitate Village in Fukushima Prefecture, more than 30 kilometers northwest of the troubled plant.
Hosono, who assumed the new position just last week, was guided to see how the Science Ministry carries out the survey.
He saw the figure was 13.9 microsieverts per hour, far exceeding the legal limit forcing the evacuation of local residents.
He was told that the data are collected at one meter above ground level. He asked officials to keep as accurate a record as possible for the safety of the people…."
Sunday, July 03, 2011 16:58 +0900 (JST)"
As you see by this story, without cooling the SFP's at Unit 5 (and 6) would reach criticality. In 3.5 hours without cooling, the temperature rose 5°C.
Cooling resumes at Fukushima No.5 reactor
"….The utility stopped sending water at about 10AM to replace the hose. The cooling system halted 15 minutes later and the reactor's cooling function was temporarily lost.
Following the replacement, the cooling system resumed operation 3-and-a half hours later.
The water temperature at the reactor rose by some 5 degrees Celsius to 47.7 degrees Celsius during the suspension. But the reactor is said to have remained in a state of cold shutdown…."
Sunday, July 03, 2011 16:58 +0900 (JST)"
The decontamination (aka circulation cooling) system has been fully repaired and seems to be functioning as expected.
TEPCO improves circulation cooling system
Sunday, July 03, 2011 07:56 +0900 (JST)
Arnie Gunderson has a new video regarding the SPF at Unit 3. You can view it at EnergyNews (embedded), on Youtube or on the Fairewinds site.
"New Analysis of Unit 3 Fuel Pool Video Reveals Top of Fuel Bundle, Fairewinds, July 1, 2011:
* Looks like the handle of a BWR fuel bundle
* Pretty clear to me and other engineers that have seen it that this might be a single fuel bundle
* There should be a lot of bundles there
* This should be under 25 feet of water, it's not
* It's very near to the surface"
The Wall Street Journal printed a story on on Friday titled: "Radiation Expert Predicts More Threats"
But since the WSJ requires a subscription to read full articles, the version below is from
http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2011/07/radiation-in-japan-professor-kosako.html
"Friday, July 1, 2011 [Blogger Comments]
Radiation in Japan: Professor Kosako: "Come the harvest season in the fall, there will be a chaos"….
Kosako says:
*There will be chaos and scandal when the rice is harvested in the fall, as it will contain radioactive materials;
* Japan is looking like a developing country in East Asia without democracy;
*The government uses the high ceiling for radiation in schools so that it doesn't need to spend money to ameliorate the situation;
*The government hasn't done enough to investigate ocean contamination.
So far, I am unable to find the equivalent Japanese article in the Japanese version of WSJ. Interesting by itself, but not surprising as the paper has put out dramatically different versions of the same news in Japanese and in English."
The Watershed Sentinel is proud to share Nelle Maxey's Fukushima Updates prepared for the BC environmental community.
Every day, Nelle pours over the media and other reports of the status of the reactors at Fukushima, comparing figures and trying to make sense out of the conflicting reports.