Category Archives: doubtful assurances

"It is inconceivable that a severe accident could actually occur" – origin of the safety myth

“If we even mentioned there was a slight possibility that nuclear plants were dangerous, antinuclear advocates pushed for shutting every plant down,” he said. “So, we just kept on declaring the plants were safe.”       – former actich … Continue reading

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Nuclear plant safety standards may be thrown out

failed standards:   quake was 25% over max expected, despite 60% increase in 2006;  meltdown never expected;  radiation release is 100 times max expected;  10km  max evacuation zone was expected;  external power and backups would not both fail; Nuclear plant … Continue reading

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Government, TEPCO brushed off warnings from all sides. "This crisis at the power plant is not a natural disaster. It is a man-made disaster,"

How it happened: 4th part of Yomiuri’s   series is about tsunami warnings: Government, TEPCO brushed off warnings from all sides.  Well worth reading excerpts: It is now clear the government and Tokyo Electric Power Co. did not learn from … Continue reading

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Tsunami taboo at TEPCO – nuke worker speaks out

An engineer who worked at Fukushima for 12 years was interviewed  on Australian TV. “I asked my boss back in the late ’90s what would happen if a tsunami hit the Fukushima reactors … I said surely a meltdown will … Continue reading

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‘Melt-through’ at Fukushima? / Govt report to IAEA suggests situation worse than meltdown

excerpt:   fuel in three reactors has possibly melted through pressure vessels and accumulated at the bottom of outer containment vessels. See earlier announcements of 25-70% fuel damage in early April and to 35-55% fuel damage in late April ‘Melt-through’ at … Continue reading

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850,000 terabecquerels released, not 370k or 100k as announced previously

Radioactivity of materials released in Fukushima nuclear crisis revised upward  (see here for April estimate of 30 to 100 thousand TBq and here for the 370k estimate) The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) on June 6 revised the level … Continue reading

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Industry minister criticises TEPCO for "falsely" reporting suspension of water injection

Industry minister Banri Kaieda on Friday criticized Tokyo Electric Power Co. for ”falsely” reporting that it had temporarily suspended the injection of seawater into one of the troubled nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in March. ”I would … Continue reading

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TEPCO still does not know how long cooling was turned off in #1

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is still unable to determine how long an emergency cooling system at the Number 1 reactor remained off after the March 11 earthquake. Officials of Tokyo Electric Power Company spoke to … Continue reading

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Reactors stable now, #2 melted down 4 days after quake, fuel damage may still be limited

The operator of the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex said Tuesday that meltdowns are assumed to have occurred in the cores of the Nos. 2 and 3 reactors in addition to the meltdown already confirmed at the No. 1 … Continue reading

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Reactors 2 and 3 also had meltdowns, TEPCO finally admits

Fukushima plant’s Nos. 2, 3 reactors also suffered meltdown: TEPCO TOKYO, May 24, Kyodo The operator of the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex said Tuesday that meltdowns are assumed to have occurred in the cores of the Nos. 2 … Continue reading

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