Japanese Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Reactors

Among the 106 patients surviving radiation sickness, complete normalization of health took several years. Many of those patients developed clinically significant radiation-induced cataracts in the first few years after the accident. Over the period 1987-2006, 19 survivors died for various reasons; however, some of these deaths were due to causes not associated with radiation exposure.

Apart from the dramatic increase in thyroid cancer incidence among those exposed at a young age, and some indication of an increased leukaemia and cataract incidence among the workers, there is no clearly demonstrated increase in the incidence of solid cancers or leukaemia due to radiation in the exposed populations. Neither is there any proof of other non-malignant disorders that are related to ionizing radiation. However, there were widespread psychological reactions to the accident, which were due to fear of the radiation, not to the actual radiation doses.

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What Happens to It in the Body?
Cesium can be taken into the body by eating food, drinking water, orbreathing air. After being taken in, cesium behaves in a manner similar to potassium and distributes uniformly throughout the body. Gastrointestinal absorption from food or water is the principal source of internally deposited cesium in the general population. Essentially all cesium that is ingested is absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestines. Cesium tends to concentrate in muscles because of their relatively large mass. Like potassium, cesium is excreted from the body fairly quickly. In an adult, 10% is excreted with a biological half-life of 2 days, and the rest leaves the body with a biological half-life of 110 days. Clearance from the body is somewhat quicker for children and adolescents. This means that if someone is exposed to radioactive cesium and the source of exposure is removed, much of the cesium will readily clear the body along the normal pathways for potassium excretion within several months.

What Are the Primary Health Effects?
Cesium-137 presents an external as well as internal health hazard. The strong external gamma radiation associated with its short-lived decay product barium-137m makes external exposure a concern, and shielding is often needed to handle materials containing large concentrations of cesium. While in the body, cesium poses a health hazard from both beta and gamma radiation, and the main health concern is associated with the increased likelihood for inducing cancer.

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One notable feature of the accident in Goiania was the severe external and
internal contamination with caesium-137 that complicated patient care and prompted
the extensive use of hexacyanoferrate, [Fe(CN)6]4~ (as Prussian Blue, or RadiogardaseR),
for the first time in the history of radiological accidents. The accident is
unique in that the casualties incurred initial acute whole body external exposures
followed by chronic whole body exposure at low dose rates from internally deposited
caesium-137. These exposures varied depending on the amount of time spent near
the source and on the amount of caesium-137 deposited internally

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At approximately 9:30 am, April 2nd, we found that there was water in the shaft for storing power cable (concrete product) at near the intake of water of Unit 2, the radioactive air dose was over 1,000mSv/h and the water spilled into the sea from the crack (approximately 20 cm) of the side of the shaft. We injected fresh concrete to the shaft twice, however, we could not observe a change in the amount of spilled water into the sea. Therefore, we considered that a new method of water shutoff and determined to use the polymeric macromolecule. Necessary equipments and experts of water shutoff will be dispatched to the site. Tonight, they will depart from Tokyo and will start the work with survey of the site conditions tomorrow morning. There is a connection point between the trench of unit 2 and this shaft. It was assumed that a puddle of water of the turbine building of unit 2, out flowed through this connection point and spilled into the sea from the crack of the shaft. Therefore, we will investigate out flowed route to the shaft and implement the water analysis by taking samples in the shaft and at near the spilling point in the sea. In addition, from April 2nd, we will implement to take samples at 15km offshore Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Stations and will evaluate these samples comprehensively.

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April 2nd:
09:30 It was found at Unit 2 that radioactive water of over 1000 mSv/h radiation level pooled in the pit that contains power cables near the reactor's water intake and the water was seeping from the some 20cm crack in the wall of the pit into the sea.
15:27 Transfer of water in the Condensate Surge Tank to the surge tank was complete.
16:25 Effort to stop leakage of radioactive water from the pit near the water intake was started by injecting concrete into the pit.
17:10 Transfer of water in the condenser to the Condensate Surge Tank was started at Unit 2.

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The first barge of the U.S. Forces with fresh water to be used to cool down reactors etc. was towed by a ship of Maritime Self-Defense Force and at 3:42 pm on March 31st 2011, came alongside the pier. At approximately 3:58 pm, April 1st, we started to replenish filtrate tanks with the fresh water, and finished at 4:25 pm. At approximately 10:20 am, April 2nd, we resumed to replenish filtrate tanks with the fresh water, and finished at 4:40 pm. The second barge of the U.S. Forces with the fresh water towed by the ship of Maritime Self-Defense Force came alongside the pier at approximately 9:10 am, April 2nd. It is in preparation for replenishing filtrate tanks with the fresh water.

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-Some of turbine building lights were turned on April 2nd.
-We injected fresh water to the reactor by a temporary motor driven pump, but, from 10:42am to 11:52am on April 3rd we temporarily switched the pump to the fire fighting pump to inject fresh water to use power through off-site transmission line. We're now injecting fresh water to the reactor by a motor driven pump powered by off-site transmission line.

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-Some of turbine building lights were turned on April 2nd.
-We injected fresh water to the reactor by a temporary motor driven pump, but, from 10:22am to 0:06pm on April 3rd, we temporarily switched the pump to the fire fighting pump to inject fresh water to use power through off-site transmission line. We're now injecting fresh water to the reactor by a motor driven pump powered by off-site transmission line.

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Some of turbine building lights were turned on April 2nd.
-We injected fresh water to the reactor by a temporary motor driven pump, but, from 10:03am to 0:16pm on April 3rd, we temporarily switched the pump to the fire fighting pump to inject fresh water to use power through off-site transmission line. We're now injecting fresh water to the reactor by a motor driven pump powered by off-site transmission line.

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-We began to transfer fresh water from the second barge to the first barge on April 3rd at 9:52 am and continued until 11:15 am on April 3rd.
-We also began to transfer the radioactive water we collected from the building of Radioactive Waste Treatment Facilities to the Unit 4 turbine
building.

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No. 41: 18:00, April 3
NHK news regarding status of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station
yesterday and today.
●Checkups find no problems in children's thyroid
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano has said that recent checkups have found no problems in the thyroid of children in the area near the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Edano announced the finding at a news conference on Sunday. 900 children from newborns to those of 15 in Kawamata Town and Iitate Village in Fukushima Prefecture underwent tests for radiation exposure to their thyroid glands for 3 days through last Wednesday. He said none of them had exposure readings
exceeding the safety level. Sunday, April 03, 2011 16:02 +0900 (JST)

●TEPCO to stop radioactive water leak from plant \
The operator of the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will start injecting water-absorbing polymers into a cracked pit to stop radioactive water from leaking into the ocean. Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, says it will start the emergency operation on Sunday afternoon. On Saturday, TEPCO found radioactive water was seeping into the ocean from a crack in a concrete pit that contains power cables near the Number 2 reactor's water intake. The level of radiation on the surface of the pit's water was measured at over 1,000 milisieverts per hour. An attempt to pour concrete into the pit, connected to the turbine building, failed to fix the leak on Saturday.

TEPCO hopes to collect overflowing water into a tank and other facilities in the complex. The radioactive intensity of water in the reactor's turbine building was about 100,000 times that of water inside a normally operating reactor. Water in a tunnel outside the turbine building also had high levels of radiation.

TEPCO says it has not detected water leaking from the pits of other reactors and is checking other locations. The company added that it began reducing the amount of water being injected into the Number 1 and 2 buildings to cool their reactors on Saturday night, saying temperatures and pressures there had stabilized.
Sunday, April 03, 2011 14:50 +0900 (JST)

●PM advisor: effort to stop radioactive leakage
An advisor to the prime minister has pledged an all-out effort to contain the leakage of radioactive substances from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex within a few months. Goshi Hosono told reporters on Sunday that environmental contamination caused by the leakage of highly radioactive water from the damaged plant to the ocean is very serious. Hosono said it is urgent to assess the impact of the leakage on the sea and assured that the results will be made public. The prime ministerial aide also said that the large amount of radioactive water which accumulated in the basement of the Number 2 reactor's turbine building must be removed as soon as possible. Hosono said the deepest concern for residents is when the radioactive leakage from the plant will end. He said the crisis at the plant has been continuing, but the situation is stabilizing. He added that the main task for now should shift to halting the leakage of
radioactive elements within a few months.
Sunday, April 03, 2011 12:50 +0900 (JST)

●Radioactive levels measured within 20km of plant
The Japanese government and the operator of the stricken Fukushima Daiichi power plant have started to gauge radioactive levels in the air within a 20 kilometer radius of the plant. The government and Tokyo Electric Power Company have already been measuring radioactivity in the air outside the 20-kilometer exclusion zone that residents have been instructed to leave. But they have not conducted any detailed assessments within the zone, saying that most residents have already evacuated the area and that there would be an increased risk of workers conducting the tests being exposed to radiation. At a meeting of Japanese and US nuclear experts, the US side claimed more research is needed to determine the extent at which radioactive substances are spreading. After the gathering, the Japanese government and the power company began studying radioactive levels in the air at about 30 locations inside the exclusion zone.
Sunday, April 03, 2011 05:46 +0900 (JST)

●Radioactive water continues to leak into sea
Highly radioactive water continues to leak into the sea through a crack in a pit at the troubled Fukushima Daiichi power plant, despite ongoing work to pour concrete into the pit to stop the leakage. The plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, found water between 10 and 20 centimeters deep in the pit on Saturday morning. The pit is located near the water intake of the No.2 reactor and contains power cables. The surface of the water in the pit was found to have a radiation level of over 1,000 milisieverts per hour. To fill in the crack in the pit, the utility firm began pouring in concrete at 4:30 PM on Saturday. But even more than 6 hours later, the amount of water flowing into the pit was so large that the injected concrete had not solidified yet, allowing radioactive water to leak into the ocean. The power company will try other measures on Sunday morning to stop water from entering the pit. It will use a particular kind of polymer which will absorb the water.

The power firm says the pit is connected to the trench of the No.2 reactor's turbine building. Last Sunday, the radioactive density of water in the reactor's turbine building was found to be about 100,000 times higher than the normal level. A high concentration of radioactive elements was also found in puddles in the trench. Analysis on Saturday showed that the radioactive density of the water in the pit was around 10,000 times above the usual level. On Saturday, the firm expanded its study of the radioactive level of seawater by analyzing samples collected about 15 kilometers from the plant in addition to samples taken near the Daiichi and Daini plants. The Daini plant sits about 10 kilometers south of the crippled Daiichi plant.
Sunday, April 03, 2011 01:41 +0900 (JST)

●Efforts to remove radioactive water stepped up
The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is stepping up efforts to remove radioactive water that has been hindering its attempts to contain the ongoing problem at the power plant. Tokyo Electric Power Company is trying to remove contaminated water from the basements of the turbine buildings of the No.1, 2, and 3 reactors.

TEPCO hopes to move the radioactive water into storage tanks in the turbine condenser. But before that can be done, work began on Saturday to empty the storage tanks at the No. 2 reactor. TEPCO has been attempting to recover the reactors' cooling systems. It has been injecting seawater in order to prevent the reactors from overheating caused by the nuclear fuel. But it decided to use fresh water instead because seawater is corrosive. On Saturday morning, a docked US military barge began pumping fresh water to cool the reactors. Another US barge carrying about 1,300 tons of fresh water has
arrived at the site.

8 monitoring posts to measure radiation levels on the border of the compound started functioning again on Friday for the first time since the quake struck 3 weeks ago. However, as the automatic data transmission system is still out of order, workers will make daily visits to collect the radiation data which TEPCO will then post on its website.

Workers are also testing the spraying of synthetic resin in areas around the reactors in the hope that it will contain radioactive materials released by the hydrogen blasts.
Saturday, April 02, 2011 21:13 +0900 (JST)

●Tap water safe again
Japan's health ministry says test results of tap water show that radiation levels are within safety standards in all municipalities.

However, the village of Ii-tate in Fukushima Prefecture near the disabled nuclear power plant says the situation will have to be monitored for some time. It's calling on residents not to give tap water to infants as a precaution. On Friday, Iitate lifted restrictions on tap water consumption. According to the ministry, 965 becquerels of radioactive Iodine-131 was detected in tap water in Ii-tate Village on March 20th. The reading was about 3 times the national safety standard of 300 becquerels per liter. However, the measurements fell well below the legal standard at all checkpoints from March 29th.

At all the checkpoints in Fukushima Prefecture, the radioactive Iodine readings are now below the benchmark of 100 becquerels per liter for infants.All municipalities in the Kanto-Koshin-etsu regions including Tokyo had lifted a ban on tap-water consumption by March 27th. None of the municipalities has imposed any additional restrictions.Saturday, April 02, 2011 21:13 +0900 (JST)
End

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On March 18, the Hokkaido Electric Power Co. deployed a vehicle-mounted power generator (320MW) at its Tomari Nuclear Power Station (NPS). It also ascertained that no abnormalities were to be found at the reactors, having undertaken special patrolling immediately after the earthquake of March 11, as well as routine patrolling and inspections of equipment significant to safety.

Meanwhile, the Tohoku Electric Power Co. has permanently deployed vehicle-mounted power generators, as well as ensured backup drive motors for seawater pumps at Units 1 to 3 of the Onagawa NPS, which automatically shut down when the earthquake occurred. It also secured routes to inject water into spent fuel storage pools by fire trucks, confirmed airtight seals at locations on walls of reactor buildings where piping and other equipment pass through, and inspected emergency diesel generators, emergency core cooling systems (ECCS), and others.

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→ Summary of Reactor Status, 3 April 2011, 12.00 UTC


On Sunday, 3 April 2011, the IAEA provided the following information on the current status of nuclear safety in Japan:

1.Current Situation at the plant

Overall at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, the situation remains very serious.

On 2nd April, transferring of water from the Unit 1 condenser storage tank to the surge tank of the suppression pool was completed in preparation for transferring water in the basement of the Unit 1 turbine building to the condenser. Also on the 2nd April Transferring of water from the Unit 2 condenser storage tank to the surge tank of the suppression pool was started in preparation for transferring water in the basement of the Unit 1 turbine building to the condenser.

A second US Navy barge arrived on 2nd April carrying fresh water to be transferred to the 'filtered water tank'.

TEPCO has identified a possible leakage path from the Turbine building of Unit 2 to the sea via a series of trenches/tunnels used to provide power to the sea water intake pumps and supply of service water to the reactor and turbine buildings. As of 2nd April 07:25 UTC the pouring of concrete was started in an attempt to stop the water leakage. As of 2nd April 10:15 UTC, pouring of concrete had ceased and no significant decrease in the rate of leakage was observed. There is a plan to inject polymer to attempt to stop the leakage. TEPCO announced on 2nd April that, following the detection of highly contaminated water leaking through a crack found in a pit near Unit 2, they had added 3 additional sampling points at 15km from Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daiini.

Fresh water has been continuously injected into the Reactor Pressure Vessel of Unit 1 through the feed-water line at an indicated flow rate of 8 m3/h using a temporary electric pump with diesel backup. Fresh water is being injected continuously into the RPVs in Units 2 and 3 at indicated rates of 9 m3/h and 7 m3/h respectively through the fire extinguisher lines using temporary electric pumps with diesel backup.

In Unit 1 the indicated temperature at the feed water nozzle of the RPV is relatively stable at 259°C and at the bottom of RPV at 117°C. The RPV pressure indications are fluctuating and Drywell pressure is slightly decreasing. In Unit 2 the indicated temperature at the feed water nozzle of the RPV has decreased slightly from 161°C to 153°C. The temperature at the bottom of RPV was not reported. Indicated Drywell pressure remains at atmospheric pressure. The indicated temperature at the feed water nozzle of the RPV in Unit 3 is stable at 118°C and at the bottom of the RPV is about 92°C. The validity of the RPV temperature measurement at the feed water nozzle is still under investigation.

Injection of water into the spent fuel pool in Unit 2 using the temporary pump was restarted on 1st April.

Units 5 and 6

Both units remain in cold shutdown with plant systems operating on off-site AC power.

Common Spent Fuel Storage Facility

The Common Spent Fuel Pool temperature is stable. TEPCO tested an 'anti-scattering' agent (2000 l) on 500 m2 area around the Common Spent Fuel Storage facility on 1st April. The purpose of spraying is to prevent radioactive particles from being dispersed from the plant by winds and rain.

2. Radiation Monitoring

On 2nd April, deposition of iodine-131 was detected in 7 prefectures ranging from 4 to 95 becquerel per square metre. Deposition of cesium-137 in 6 prefectures was reported on 2nd April ranging from 15 to 47 becquerel per square metre. Reported gamma dose rates in the 45 prefectures showed no significant changes compared to yesterday.

Most of the previously imposed recommendations for restrictions on drinking water have been lifted. As of 2nd April, one recommendation for the restriction based on iodine-131 concentration was in place in one village in the Fukushima prefecture, which applied for infants only. Meanwhile, also in this village, the iodine-131 level in drinking water has dropped below 100 becquerel per litre, which is the recommended restriction level for intake by infants. The restriction is still in place as a precautionary measure of the local authority.

Currently, one IAEA monitoring team is working in the Fukushima region. On 2 April, measurements were made at 7 locations at distances of 32 to 62 km, North and Northwest to the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The dose rates ranged from 0.6 to 4.5 microsievert per hour. At the same locations, results of beta-gamma contamination measurements ranged from 0.09 to 0.46 megabecquerel per square metre.

3. BWR experts

The two agency experts in BWR technology have arrived in Japan. The objective of this expert visit is to have a direct exchange of views with the Japanese counterparts.

4. TEPCO Employees

TEPCO had been investigating two employees who had been missing since the earthquake of 11th March. On 2nd April NISA reported that on the afternoon of 30th March the two employees were found dead in the -1 Level of the Turbine Building of Unit 4.

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Iodine 131 is a fission product produced in a commercial reactor and used in medical treatments. It forms a vapor that can be transported in the air. Iodine 131 is released at minute levels from nuclear power facilities during normal operation, but it has been detected in Japan at higher levels after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. There is no health concern for U.S. residents.

Iodine 131 has an 8-day half life and decays after about two months. The use of potassium iodide can decrease the effects of radioactive iodine. Potassium iodide should be taken only after a recommendation of a physician or local health officials. When ingested, Iodine 131 is concentrated in the thyroid gland. In high concentrations, the primary health hazard is thyroid cancer, especially in children.

As part of U.S. emergency response capabilities, state and local officials closely monitor food and drinking water supplies and, if needed, quarantine any contaminated supplies to prevent public exposure. Officials use pre-established guidelines for safe consumption of food and water set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

In Japan, one water sample taken March 23 in Tokyo showed that levels of Iodine 131 (5,700 picocuries per liter) were approximately twice the Japanese government limit. This resulted in the government advising the public to restrict the use of drinking water for infants; however water consumption is safe [ETA at that dose] for older children and adults. A picocurie is 1/one-trillionth of a curie.

Background
The accident at Three Mile Island is believed to have released 17 curies of iodine from the core; however no Iodine was detected in cows or goat milk following the accident. The Chernobyl accident released approximately 7 million curies of Iodine 131. Exposure of the population to iodine was the most significant radiological health impact of thataccident.

�� Adult consumption of 1,000 picocuries per liter concentration for 30days will result in aradiation dose of 24 millirem.
�� Infant consumption of 1,000 picocuries per liter concentration for 30 days will result in a radiation dose of 331 millirem.

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-Today at around 9:30 am, we detected water containing radiation dose overc
1,000 mSv/h in the pit* where supply cables are stored near the intake channel of Unit 2. Furthermore, there was a crack about 20 cm on the concrete lateral of the pit, from where the water in the pit was out flowing.(We already informed.) During the same day, we injected fresh concrete to the pit, but we could not observe a reduction in the amount of water spilling from the pit to the sea. Therefore, we considered that a new method of stopping the water and determined to use the polymer. Necessary equipment and experts of water shutoff will be dispatched to the site and after checking the condition, we're doing continuous work to stop water by injecting polymer(April 3rd).

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Today's work for cooling the spent fuel pools
-Water spray by the concrete pump truck to Unit 4 started at 5:14 pm.
.

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Draining water from underground floor of turbine buildings

-In regard with transferring water from a condensate storage tank to a suppression pool water surge-tank in unit 1, the work began at 1:55 pm April 3rd.
-Water transfer from a condenser to a condensate storage tank in unit 2, began at approximately 5:10 pm, April 2nd.

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April 3rd:
12:18 Power supply to water injection pumps to the reactors of Unit 1, 2 ,and 3 was switched from power supply vehicles to originally equipped power source.
2.

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Fukushima Nuclear Accident Update (3 April 2011, 17:15 UTC)
Japanese authorities today informed the IAEA of the following developments at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant:

In Units 1, 2 and 3, external power supply is now being used to power the pumps that are injecting fresh water into the reactors, thus replacing temporary electrical pumps.

The switch to external power supply occurred on 3 April at:

03:02 UTC (12:02 Japan time) for Unit 1.
03:12 UTC (12:12 Japan time) for Unit 2.
03:18 UTC (12:18 Japan time) for Unit 3.

Some lighting has been reactivated in the turbine buildings of Units 1, 2, 3 and 4.

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dorispulaski said:

Re the cracked concrete maintenance pit that is spewing water, I wish that TEPCO would get in touch with the US Navy (or USCG for that matter). They have great techniques for stopping up holes where water is flowing in or out, and an entire specialty, damage control men, devoted to that sort of thing. No doubt other navies have similar specialties, but I know the US Navy does, and as it has numerous nuclear submarines and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, I'll bet a cookie they have done drills about radioactive water spewing from a pipe into the inside of the ship.

They even hold a damage control Olympics

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnavynvns/4865416627/

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He was educated in the public school of Plains, attended Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology, and received a bachelor of science degree from the United States Naval Academy in 1946. In the Navy he became a submariner, serving in both the Atlantic and Pacific fleets and rising to the rank of lieutenant. Chosen by Admiral Hyman Rickover for the nuclear submarine program, he was assigned to Schenectady, N.Y., where he took graduate work at Union College in reactor technology and nuclear physics, and served as senior officer of the pre-commissioning crew of the Seawolf, the second nuclear submarine.

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UPDATE AS OF 3 P.M. EDT, SUNDAY, APRIL 3:
Tokyo Electric Power planned Sunday to inject water-absorbing polymer into a cracked concrete enclosure near the reactor 2 water intake at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in an effort to stop radioactive water from leaking into the ocean. Yesterday, pouring concrete into the concrete enclosure, which carries electric cables, failed to seal the crack.

TEPCO said it had not found water leaking from the concrete enclosures at other reactors, the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum reported.

Following detection of the reactor 2 leak, the power company began testing radiation levels in sea water 15 kilometers (about 9.5 miles) from the facility.

A U.S. Navy barge has begun supplying fresh water as injection continues to cool reactors 1, 2, and 3. TEPCO is using a motor-driven pump powered by an off-site transmission line. A second barge with more fresh water has arrived at the site. Electric power has been restored to lighting in the turbine buildings of reactors 1, 2, and 3.

Radiation Measurements
After consultations with nuclear experts from the United States, TEPCO has begun to measure radiation levels inside the nuclear power plant’s 20-kilometer (12.5 mile) evacuation zone. Measurements have been taken routinely outside the zone, but TEPCO has been reluctant to conduct tests closer to the plant because of anticipated radiation exposure to workers taking those measurements.

Radiation levels off site and at the site boundary are generally decreasing, although localized areas with elevated levels are being identified for further analysis. Protective action recommendations for food and water are gradually being lifted in many locations, but some remain pending further analysis.

The government is looking carefully at how and when to allow evacuees to return to their homes. The situation remains difficult for evacuees, especially the elderly and ill among them, but the government is escalating efforts to accommodate those who have evacuated.

The government is monitoring children up to 15 years old in some prefectures for possible iodine-131 exposure. Based on preliminary results, iodine-131 has not been found at levels that exceed action levels, and in many areas there has been no exposure.

Missing Workers Found
Tokyo Electric Power Co. has confirmed that two company employees who had been missing since the tsunami occurred on March 11 were found dead March 30 in the basement of the turbine building of reactor 4.

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dorispulaski said:

So while he has a nuclear submarine, the Jimmy Carter, named after him, he is not necessarily an expert on the subject.

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he effects of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant grow by the week, creating a lengthening catalogue of worries and proving once again that nuclear power frightens people as few other technologies do.

But when the dead and sickened are added up, how dangerous is it really?

The partial meltdown in Japan has injured 23 people and exposed as many as 21 to levels of radiation higher than is considered safe to receive in one year. Two workers are still missing but are assumed to have been killed by the earthquake or tsunami, not the nuclear accident. No people in the “plume zone” outside the plant have been contaminated to a degree that is expected to affect their health, based on radiation readings so far.

In the months after the world’s worst nuclear disaster, in Chernobyl in 1986, about 50 people died. In the next-biggest accident, at Three Mile Island in 1979, no one did.

History suggests that nuclear power rarely kills and causes little illness. That’s also the conclusion engineers reach when they model scenarios for thousands of potential accidents.

Making electricity from nuclear power turns out to be far less damaging to human health than making it from coal, oil or even clean-burning natural gas, according to numerous analyses. That’s even more true if the predicted effects of climate change are thrown in.

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