News From The Meltdowns, February 15-19 2014
Channel: rumorecurioso
Date: 2014-02-20

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

THERMOMETER OUT OF ORDER AT FUKUSHIMA NO.2 REACTOR
 
The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant says there is just one working thermometer monitoring the temperature of melted nuclear fuel in the plant's No.2 reactor.

 Officials of Tokyo Electric Power Company say they have discovered a fault in one of the 2 thermometers used to monitor the lower part of the reactor's container vessel.

 They say the problem was found this week after workers accidently caused a short circuit by delivering 250 volts of electricity instead of 100 volts during checks on the thermometers.

 The company continues to pour water into the No.2 reactor to cool the melted fuel at the bottom.

 A series of problems left just one of 9 thermometers working at the lower part of the pressure vessel by September 2012. The newly malfunctioning thermometer was installed later that year.

 The utility's announcement came more than 24 hours after the abnormality was found on Tuesday.
 Officials say they failed to immediately notice the problem since the faulty thermometer was showing a similar reading - about 20 degrees Celsius -- as the working one.

 The officials say replacing the gauge is likely to take time because of high radiation levels in and around the reactor. They say a new thermometer will have to be inserted through a pipe.

Feb. 19, 2014 - Updated 22:58 UTC

NRA TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS ON NUCLEAR SCREENINGS
  
Japan's nuclear regulator says it will set the order of priority for final safety screening at 6 nuclear plants seeking permission to restart reactors.

 Members of the Nuclear Regulation Authority met on Wednesday to discuss ways to move forward with the screening.

 The utility companies applied for the required safety checks on the 10 reactors last July.

 The NRA has agreed to prioritize the plants for screening and issue a draft report on the results of safety checks at one of the plants.

 The report is considered the final step in obtaining NRA approval to restart reactors.

 Regulators will first determine whether the utilities' own assessments of ground motion intensity at times of major earthquakes are appropriate.

 NRA officials plan to decide in 2 to 3 weeks which plants are ready for final reporting.

 They have also agreed to take 4 weeks to seek public opinion on the first draft report. They plan to hold public hearings in municipalities around the nuclear plants, and solicit opinions on technical aspects of the screening.

Feb. 19, 2014 - Updated 07:35 UTC

JAPANESE, US EXPERTS DISCUSS DECONTAMINATION
 
Experts from US nuclear technology firms are presenting their know-how at a meeting in Tokyo to promote decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi plant and decontamination in the prefecture.

 26 US companies with expertise in nuclear waste disposal are participating in the 2-day "Fukushima Recovery Forum," which began on Tuesday.

 Officials from Japanese firms --- such as construction companies involved in the cleanup work --- are also attending the event.

 The forum was jointly organized by the Japanese and US governments to exchange opinions on what kind of cooperation may be possible for Fukushima recovery efforts.

 Experts from a US environmental consultancy proposed creating an underground facility to chemically remove radioactive substances. The facility would be part of measures to prevent contaminated water from seeping into the sea from the Fukushima plant. The US firm has experience in removing radioactive substances from around the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine.

 An official from a US company said the cleanup projects in Fukushima appear to be going slowly, and that US technology would be able to help speed up the pace of work.

Feb. 18, 2014 - Updated 10:52 UTC

MsMilky - we miss you!
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