Strontium Tritium Detected
Channel: onthewaytoextinction
Date: 21/06/2013

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/

HIGH LEVELS OF STRONTIUM FOUND AT FUKUSHIMA PLANT

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant says it has detected high levels of radioactive strontium and tritium in groundwater at the plant site.

Tokyo Electric Power Company said on Wednesday that the concentration of radioactive strontium in the water was up to 30 times higher than the government-set level for releasing into the sea.

The level found equaled one becquerel per cubic centimeter.

TEPCO also said radioactive tritium in the same water was 8 times higher than the government standard, logging 500 becquerels per cubic centimeter.

TEPCO said the water was taken between May and June from an observation well dug by the seaside of the No. 2 reactor turbine building.

But it said no major changes in radiation levels have been observed in the nearby sea water. The firm says it will investigate whether leakage into the sea is happening or not.

The firm also said the levels of the radiation were below the government-set levels in December. It suspects the recent rise in radiation levels may come from moving groundwater that was highly contaminated 2 years ago in the nuclear accident.

The firm plans to take measures including improving the plant's seawalls so that the contaminated water will not leak into the sea. It will also dig more wells to find out the extent and shift of the contamination.

Jun. 19, 2013 - Updated 04:29 UTC

TEPCO REPORTS ANOTHER LEAK AT FUKUSHIMA

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has reported another leak of radioactive water, this time from a steel storage tank above ground.

Tokyo Electric Power Company officials say a worker found the leak shortly after noon on Wednesday.

The tank is one of those built at the plant since May to store contaminated water transferred from storage pools underground.

The utility built the tanks after finding a series of leaks in April in the underground pools.

TEPCO officials say the contaminated water was seeping from a joint in the tank, at a rate of one drop every 3 to 4 seconds.

They report that bolts at the joint were tightened. They stopped water transfer and are investigating the cause.

The officials say no changes were detected in radioactivity levels at monitoring points near the plant.

The tank is about 400 meters from the sea. TEPCO officials say there is no risk of contaminated water reaching the sea.

Jun. 5, 2013 - Updated 07:36 UTC

KEIDANREN CHIEF VISITS FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR PLANT

 The head of Japan's top business federation has pledged technological support for the decommissioning of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Keidanren chairman Hiromasa Yonekura visited the plant run by Tokyo Electric Power Company on Thursday. It was his first visit since the March, 2011 nuclear accident.

Yonekura talked to workers engaged in the decommissioning process at the quake-proof building.

He then toured the plant by bus, taking in damaged facilities and storage tanks for radioactive wastewater.

Officials told him the wastewater accumulates at a rate of about 400 tons every day.

Yonekura told reporters a safe decommissioning of the reactors is essential for rebuilding Fukushima Prefecture.

He said Japanese businesses will contribute technological resources to aid the process.

Jun. 6, 2013 - Updated 11:22 UTC

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