Fukushima News 12/18/13: Govt. seeking fuel retrieval technologies;New safety rules for nuclear
Channel: missingsky102
Date: 2013-12-19

Govt. seeking fuel retrieval technologies
The Japanese government on Wednesday began to publicly solicit information on technologies that can safely remove nuclear fuel debris from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant.
In 2020 or later, Japan plans to start removing the melted fuel from the 3 reactors that suffered meltdowns in the March 2011 disaster.
The removal of the fuel debris is a core part of the work to decommission the plant, which will reportedly take 30 to 40 years.
On Tuesday, the International Research Institute for Nuclear Decommissioning, or IRID, explained the current plan to some 130 engineers and researchers at a briefing session in Tokyo.
The plan is to fill the reactor containment vessels with water to minimize workers' exposure to radiation.
Institute officials said they are seeking information on ways to examine the condition of the melted fuel inside the reactors and containment vessels, which have complicated structures. They are also asking for ideas on ways to remove the fuel by remote control.
IRID managing director Kazuhiro Suzuki said he believes there are numerous technologies in the world that can be applied to this project.

***Proposals will be accepted at the IRID website through January 31st. The web address is: http://irid.or.jp/
Submission procedures are explained in both English and Japanese.

New safety rules for nuclear facilities introduced
Japan has introduced a new set of safety guidelines for nuclear fuel processing plants and other facilities handling radioactive materials.
The guidelines that took effect on Wednesday cover 248 facilities across Japan, including spent fuel reprocessing plants. Nuclear power plants are subject to another set of regulations.

TEPCO decides to decommission 2 more reactors
The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has officially decided to decommission the facility's 2 reactors that escaped serious damage in the 2011 disaster.
Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, made the decision at its board meeting on Wednesday. Four of the plant's 6 reactors were crippled due to meltdowns or hydrogen explosions in their buildings.

French journalists inspect Fukushima Pref.
French journalists have toured Fukushima Prefecture to see how residents are tackling radiation contamination from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

AP: 'Tritium rain' to result from disposal of Fukushima contaminated water? Expert: You may be interested to know radioactive rainfall occurs around nuclear plants during normal operations (VIDEO)
http://enenews.com/ap-tritium-rain-to...

IAEA ***NOT for distribution***: Molten core is suspected to have penetrated Fukushima containment vessel — Prime Minister on 3/11: We couldn't be in Tokyo if melted fuel went through containment vessel (VIDEO)
http://enenews.com/iaea-expert-molten...

CBS promotes Fukushima-area seafood; Better if it's allowed to contain more radioactive waste? — CBS email to US Gov't: The best way for NRC to calm Americans' nuclear anxiety is to be interviewed by '60 Minutes'
http://enenews.com/cbs-promoting-seaf...

Sickened Navy crew members have lawsuit dismissed — TV: "Sailors say they have cancer"... of thyroid, gallbladder, testicles — Unremitting headaches, rectal bleeding, tumors, bodies deteriorating (VIDEO)
http://enenews.com/sickened-navy-crew...

Tokyo Press Conference: Cancer is clearly increasing in Fukushima children, many experts starting to get concerned — Tepco has committed a crime; We're going to the police tomorrow (VIDEO)
http://enenews.com/tokyo-press-confer...

Malformed persimmon mass-generated in Tokyo and Saitama
Posted by Mochizuki on December 14th, 2013 
http://fukushima-diary.com/2013/12/ph...

Groundwater level found sync with ebb and flow of the sea → Tepco to abandon the measuring point, "Not credible data"
http://fukushima-diary.com/2013/12/gr...

1,070 Bq/Kg of Cesium-134/137 detected from fish 2km offshore of Fukushima Daini / Over 10 times much as safety limit
http://fukushima-diary.com/2013/12/10...