Tepco submits plan for Fukushima

Tepco submits plan for Fukushima


The new Japanese government is pushing for the reopening of the shut down reactors and presents more accurate measurement of the radioactivity data for the evacuated areas

It took a long time, until the Japanese authorities were once so far, the disoriented to provide current and reliable information about the radioactivity has leaked from the damaged nuclear power plant in Fukushima 1 and further escapes. The operator group Tepco had long-term measurements disclosed only selectively and often delayed, the government was not able, because the authorities are in league to work closely with the nuclear industry, or overwhelmed and unprepared to provide accurate, transparent and comprehensive information. Citizens have been on their own data measured with Geiger counters and for example, made available on this website.


For the new government under prime minister Yoshihiko Noda, who probably wants to prevail against the fears of the people continued operation of the many still shut down nuclear power plants, have now been published by the Education, Science and Technology Ministry of MEXT, the previously most accurate maps of radioactive contamination around Fukushima . Data from the second September, for the 20-km exclusion zone around the nuclear power plant and for other areas within a radius of 30 km and further charged that were evacuated. Tepco was measured by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency and at 2696 points and that each 1 cm and a 1 m above the ground.

The highest values ​​were in Namie, Futaba County, measured 24 km north-west of Fukushima 1, with 35 micro Sievert per hour. This region is most exposed. Namie in at one meter height 41.2 micro Sievert per hour were measured in centimeters above the bottom 105 micro Sievert per hour. Values ​​are high with 14.5 micro Sievert per hour is also available in Iitate, Soma district, 33 km northwest of the accident. Overall, the radioactive contamination varies in the 30-km radius from 0.3 to 35 micro Sievert per hour.
Tepco presented in the usual manner a plan for how the fuel rods from the reactors 1-4 and crashed their cooling ponds should be disposed to say, without more precise. Under the plan, on 31 August the Japanese Atomic Energy Commission was presented during a meeting, Tepco will first fill the reactor vessel with water, then with cameras can detect the condition of the fuel rods, which should be melted in at least three reactors. Then you want to get the radioactive material with a remote-controlled robots. The task is enormous, ultimately are a total of nearly 1,500 fuel rods from the reactors alone, 1-3, in which you want to have a meltdown occurred. And before the reactors must be secured so that the water has stopped, as is the case now, can leak out. There are also more than 3,000 fuel rods, which are located in the cooling ponds of the four reactors.


In what time frame, the fuel rods or what is left of them, where they will be removed and stored, it speaks rather not Tepco, Asahi newspaper reported. It was not yet in a position to provide details, it is of Tepco. Finally, it could take many years, and apparently there are hardly any ideas how this could be accomplished. When the fuel rods in the cooling ponds, which are probably less damaged, it could be easier. But even here one expects three years, until they are removed and placed into another cooling pond in the vicinity of reactor 4. Experts said at the meeting that the removal of the molten material could be quite dangerous. One must proceed in a process of trial and error, which also means that there is little knowledge of how to deal with such a disaster if they occurred, which would not be expected. That should be a problem not only in Japan, although there are four reactors at the same time get out of control, which is absolutely unique.

Even if it should somehow be able to secure the reactors and get the radioactive material with robots, the next problem is there where I can store the nuclear waste. Japan has a repository nor how far all other nuclear states. Under the plan, the reactors should be stabilized until January 2012. By 2015, the reactors should then be secured in containers. With the removal of the molten material will then start in 10 years, the acceptance by the experience of Three Mile Iceland. At that time, but only one reactor was affected, also the molten material remained in the autoclave, while in Fukushima probably leaked at least three reactors from the pressure vessel and is thus more difficult to recover.

The new prime minister Noda wants to bring the disconnected due to normal inspections, nuclear power plants, owing to prevailing fears of the population of the relevant prefectures were not allowed to go into operation back on line. Of the 54 reactors in Japan produce only 12 power. And these must be switched off in the near term because of the prescribed inspections, so that the possibility exists that in May 2012, no reactor has been in operation. Noda knows that it is not currently possible to build new nuclear power plants, as had been planned before Fukushima, but he apparently wants to slow down the desired by his predecessor Kan nuclear phase-out well. His industry minister urges to take the deactivated nuclear power plants back into operation. However, it seems the failure of the reactors at the end of the summer bring any major problems with it more. Tepco reports that can be lifted from next week, the electricity saving measures introduced again.