Meltdown Likely Under Way At Japan Nuclear Reactor

[jfchandler]

Kyodo News:

Tokyo Electric starts power outage in some of its services area (plan of rotating power outages to conserve power)

[bkkjames]

A bit more from the NYT:

The helicopter crew members had landed aboard the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier whose on-board sensors had indicated that the warship, too, had been exposed to airborne contamination at very low levels. The helicopter crew members were tested individually with hand-held radiation monitors.

The carrier and its strike group were operating about 100 miles northeast of the damaged power plant at the time, but the helicopters had flown closer to assist in relief missions near Sendai, the city that bore much of the brunt of the tsunami after Friday's earthquake.

The Ronald Reagan and other American warships have now sailed to areas where they will not be in the path of radiation carried in the wind.

"As a precautionary measure, U.S.S. Ronald Reagan and other U.S. Seventh Fleet ships conducting disaster-response operations in the area have moved out of the downwind direction from the site to assess the situation and determine what appropriate mitigating actions are necessary," Commander David said.

The worrying thing again is how does the mighty USA military not know that it is sailing into a nuclear fall out area? Relying on the same press releases at the Pentagon these days?

[Chopperboy]

Guys, is this a reasonable conclusion at his point in time -- It appears although there is a fair chance another reactor may suffer further damage similar to the explosion of the first, the threat of a catastrophic event similar to Chernobyl is very very low, and furthermore that the radiation already released is minimal and not a significant health threat. Is this unreasonably optimistic?

Considering 29,000 people in the US may get cancer every year from having medical CAT scans, I hate to think what the outcome here is going to be...

Ref: Berrington de Gonzalez A, Mahesh M, Kim KP et al: Projected cancer risks from computed tomographic scans performed in the United States in 2007. Arch Intern Med 2009 Dec 14;169(22):2071-7

[elcent]

the "controlling room" in unit 3 is still yet usable according to local authorities. Whatever that means.

Just by mentioning that tells me that a more serious incident has happened there.

[mkawish]

Just changed my flight to BKK through Korea rather than Narita.

Good idea mate. American Airlines website and the lady at the JAL counter (it was a codeshare) said Narita would be open for my connecting flight to LAX on the 12th, so I went ahead and went instead of risking losing my whole flight, which is what I am sure would happen if I tried to cancel it. I was pretty pissed when I arrived to find my flight now canceled and none of the passengers that were boarding when the quake hit had left by the following morning.

Seeing what many Japanese are going through now puts it in perspective though. Sleeping bags were handed out and 1000's of people were sleeping all over the place. I could see damaged buildings and fires in the distance from the runway. Water was dripping from the ceiling in many places around the airport. Flights were allowed to come in, but none were going out. No trains were running, no wifi. Hotels all full. Felt probably a dozen aftershocks. The Japanese seem to all have an app. on their phones which are linked to an earthquake warning system. They all chirp loudly just before another tremor. Brilliant really, but gives one a few tense seconds not knowing if it's another big one coming or what. The only time I was a little nervous is when someone I was speaking to in the states told me that a nuclear reactor just had a melt down. That freaked me out because I had no idea where this reactor was, and if I was downwind of it.

This was the first time I have had to sleep in an airport. Thankfully many restaurants were open, but many were running out of food since the roads were out or packed with traffic. I was 161st on standby to Dallas/Ft Worth later in the day. Didn't make that of course, so I walked around the town of Narita today. Some earthquake damage visable here and there but looked pretty normal for the most part. I love how clean and organized Japan is. Orchestral music piped into the streets in the tourist areas, courteous drivers, and best of all NO TUK TUKS!

Strangely the counter staff at Narita handed out AA phone numbers to call, which I did and got a flight today to JFK. Of course that flight was also late and I missed my connection a second time. I found the right person to kindly complain to and thy gave me a room at the Hilton tonight so I don't have to sleep on the floor a second night, so it's not all bad. I've never been to NY before. Wish I had time to look around. Flight is at 650 to SFO tomorrow. I should have asked to get an afternoon flight. I'll finally be home tomorrow after 84 hours of travel.

Thx for the accounting.

You should still consider yourself mighty fortunate to be able to get what you call home safely....

My home is only some 3 hours drive from SFO on the other side of the famous Lake Tahoe ridge....

But it strikes me as very odds that NYC is a strange place for you....

[jfchandler]

Not sure what this means...

Kyodo News:

No.1, No.2 reactors pull out of emergency: TEPCO

[webfact]

Wind over a quake-damaged nuclear complex in northeast Japan, where low levels of radiation have been released, will blow south later on Monday, but is not expected to affect Tokyo /MCOT

[jfchandler]

Cooling functions fail at Fukushima No. 2 reactor

TOKYO, March 14, Kyodo News

Cooling functions at the quake-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant's No. 2 reactor have failed, the plant operator said Monday, raising fears that the problem will lead to another explosion at the plant following a blast that occurred earlier in the day at its No. 3 reactor.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said it will inject seawater into the No. 2 reactor to cool it down and prevent the melting of its core due to overheating. Similar measures have been taken at the plant's No. 1 and No. 3 reactors and explosions occurred at both reactors during the process.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said water levels had fallen but the fuel rods in the No. 2 reactor remained submerged. He also said radiation levels had not risen sharply at the plant.

A hydrogen explosion occurred Monday morning at the troubled No. 3 reactor, injuring 11 people and blowing away the roof and walls of the building that houses the reactor, but the reactor's containment vessel was not damaged.

Edano denied the possibility of a large amount of radioactive material being dispersed due to the blast. The government's nuclear safety agency said radiation levels did not jump after the explosion, indicating it did not trigger a nuclear catastrophe.

The 11:01 a.m. incident followed a hydrogen explosion at the No. 1 reactor at the same plant on Saturday.

The latest explosion prompted the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency to urge around 500 residents within a 20-kilometer radius to take shelter inside buildings.

TEPCO said 11 people -- workers at the site and members of the Self-Defense Forces -- sustained injuries. The Defense Ministry said one SDF member suffered broken bones.

At 11:44 a.m., the radiation level monitored at the plant was as low as 20 micro sievert per hour.

Edano said the injection of seawater to cool down the No. 3 reactor had been stopped after the blast and TEPCO is making efforts to resume the operation.

Since a magnitude 9.0 quake hit northeastern Japan last Friday, some reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 plant have lost their cooling functions, leading to brief rises in radiation levels over the weekend. As a result, the cores of the No. 1 and No. 3 reactors have partially melted.

Since the government ordered residents within a 20-km radius of the plant to evacuate Saturday in the wake of the initial blast at the plant's No. 1 reactor, around 500 people remain in hospitals and nursing care facilities within the radius, plus some residents, according to the agency.

The agency ruled out the possibility of broadening the area subject to the evacuation order for now.

The blast followed a report by the power company to the government earlier in the day that the radiation levels at the plant had again exceeded the legal limit and that pressure in the containment vessel of the No. 3 reactor had increased.

On Monday, radiation at the plant's premises rose over the benchmark limit of 500 micro sievert per hour at two locations, measuring 751 micro sievert at the first location at 2:20 a.m. and 650 at the second at 2:40 a.m., according to the report.

The hourly amounts are more than half the 1,000 micro sievert level to which people are usually exposed in one year.

The maximum level detected so far around the plant is 1,557.5 micro sievert logged Sunday.

The utility had been injecting seawater into the plant's No. 1 and No. 3 reactors to help cool their cores, where sections of the fuel rods are no longer covered by coolant water following a fall in water levels after the quake.

The seawater injection stopped at around 1 a.m. Monday due to a shortage of water left in tanks but resumed for the No. 3 reactor at 3:20 a.m., according to the nuclear safety agency.

The halt of coolant water injection apparently caused rising pressure in the reactor containment vessel and an increase in the radiation levels at the plant, the agency said.

Edano said the pressure in the No. 1 reactor's containment vessel has been stable and that seawater injection for the reactor will resume later.

http://english.kyodo...1/03/77796.html

Edited March 14, 2011 by jfchandler

[elcent]

Not sure what this means...

Kyodo News:

No.1, No.2 reactors pull out of emergency: TEPCO

could be good news though, unless they are using Thai bomb dedectors

This could mean they are nearly shut down now.

Lets wait and see.

Unit 3 is a more and real serious issue. I think the explosion released quite a lot of radiation which was blown right into the face of U.S.S. Ronald Reagan carrier. They measured a higher radiation equal to a one month's dose 160km off shore. This could explain why there is normal radiation around the reactors.

[webfact]

Energy Firm Downplays Japan's Nuclear Plant Woes

The Electricity Generating Company is confident the operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant can contain a feared meltdown and believes the incident will not affect its foreign investment plans.

The company also urges the government to build public confidence on Thailand's energy development.

Electricity Generating Company, or EGCO, Group President Winit Tangnoi believes the Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, the operator of the quake-hit Fukushima 1 nuclear plant will be able to contain a much-feared meltdown.

He is confident the incident will not affect TEPCO's foreign investment plans as it only has a small number of investment projects in Thailand.

When asked about aftershocks from Japan, Winit believes it will not reach Thailand due to the far distance through neighboring countries, including Vietnam and Laos.

The EGCO Group president explained that coal-fired and nuclear power plants are necessities for the future of Thai energy development since they can provide a stable energy source and cut electricity cost.

As the world crude oil price continues to rise and fossil fuel is quickly depleting, the EGCO Group urges the government to quickly build an understanding with the public on future necessary steps to develop energy policies.

As for TEPCO, it is the world's fourth largest electricity generating company with total capacity of 64,000 megawatts, worth more than 13.2 trillion yen.

The EGCO group has prepared to talk with TEPCO on Thailand's energy development with plans to invest more than 200 billion baht over ten years.

Winit detailed the EGCO group's investment prospects with plans to pump six to seven billion baht to develop three small power generating projects and increase its Quezon coal plant energy stocks in the Philippines from 26 to 52 percent, which will double EGCO group's revenue from 500 million baht to one billion baht a year.

EGCO Group is planning to initiate the second phase of its solar power plant expansion project by increasing its energy production by 11 megawatts from the current 73 megawatts and will also buy12.5 percent of the shares of the Chiayaburi power plant in Laos.

-- Tan Network 2011-03-14

[Jdietz]

So, we can expect another big 'kaboom' in the next day or so, as #2 reactor is now also cooled with seawater.

This is to be expected, so nothing extra to worry about. Seawater + Fuel rod cladding makes lots of hydrogen, pressure release dumps it into the outer containment building (the cube), where, when the concentration is high enough, the slightest spark blows the ceiling off. The building is designed to blow without damaging the inner containment structure.

While scary, this actually means seawater is getting in to the cores, keeping it from melting down.

[webfact]

Japanese safety agency says there in "no possibility of Chernobyl" at Fukushima nuclear plant /RT @SkyNewsBreak

[animatic]

I can't believe that this was an hydrogen explosion this morning. Hydogenic explosions look different, white smoke and the explosion itself is nearly invisible. This one is different and very serious.

Reactor three mixed with plutonium fuel rods. -

DANGEROUS!!!!

Animatic,

When you downplay the seriousness and misguid the facts to make them look harmless will create more confusion and panic at the end. The Japanese are very cool in handling this disaster. I really admire the people there.

I didn't mean downplay or make look harmless, I just spoke controlled dissemination to minimize panic. I wasn't advocating it either, as you seem to imply, I was just pointing out that is is done. And to some extent I can understand why.

[jfchandler]

Tokyo Electric stock tumbles after quake-triggered nuclear trouble

TOKYO, March 14, Kyodo News

The stock of Tokyo Electric Power Co. nosedived Monday after Friday's devastating earthquake crippled some of its nuclear reactors in Fukushima Prefecture and triggered explosions.

After facing massive sell orders throughout the day, Tokyo Electric plunged by its daily allowable limit of 500 yen, or 23.6 percent, to 1,621 yen.

With its two Fukushima nuclear plants damaged by Friday's quake, the company, which serves the eastern Japan area centering on Tokyo, is planning an unprecedented rationing of electricity later Monday to make up for an expected power shortage.

Another hydrogen blast occurred Monday at its Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant's troubled No. 3 reactor, following a hydrogen explosion that hit the No. 1 reactor at the same quake-hit plant Saturday.

In addition, Tohoku Electric Power Co., which supplies power to the northeastern region hit hard by the quake, also faced heavy selling and ended the day down 400 yen, or 21.2 percent, at 1,486 yen.

East Japan Railway Co. tumbled 1,000 yen, or 18.4 percent, to 4,450 yen after it suspended services Monday on most of its lines due to the imminent power shortage.

Toshiba Corp., which delivered nuclear plant facilities at the troubled plant in Fukushima, ended down 80 yen, or 16.3 percent, to 411 yen.

Hitachi Ltd., which also manufactures nuclear plant facilities, dropped 80 yen, or 16.2 percent, to 414 yen.

''The prospects for nuclear power accidents remain unclear,'' said Masatoshi Sato, senior strategist at Mizuho Investors Securities Co. ''It remains to be seen how severe the situation would become.''

He added, ''Japan's reputation as a nuclear-power developed country has started losing its luster.''

Automakers such as Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. also plummeted as they suspended operations at their domestic plants Monday due partly to difficulties in procuring parts.

The construction-related sector was one of the few bright spots as investors snapped up issues on hopes for growing demand for construction following the magnitude 9.0 earthquake.

Kajima Corp., known for leading-edge technology in the construction of quake-resistant buildings, jumped 47 yen, or 22.2 percent, to 259 yen, while construction machinery maker Komatsu Ltd. rose 15 yen, or 0.6 percent, to 2,517 yen.

Despite rises in such issues, the overall sentiment remains fragile, brokers said.

''Though construction companies are said to be facing a special procurement boom, it is unlikely to push up the Nikkei index average as manufacturers, the core of Japan's economy, are hit hard,'' said Masumi Yamamoto, market analyst at Daiwa Securities Capital Markets Co.

http://english.kyodo...1/03/77776.html

Edited March 14, 2011 by jfchandler

[elcent]

the IAEA has opened a facebook account https://www.facebook.com/notes/international-atomic-energy-agency-iaea/japanese-earthquake-update-14-march-0700-cet/201587349871059

[webfact]

Kyodo: No.1, No.2 reactors pull out of emergency: TEPCO /RT @mpoppel:

[jfchandler]

While scary, this actually means seawater is getting in to the cores, keeping it from melting down.

Well, maybe....

The seawater injection stopped at around 1 a.m. Monday due to a shortage of water left in tanks but resumed for the No. 3 reactor at 3:20 a.m., according to the nuclear safety agency.

The halt of coolant water injection apparently caused rising pressure in the reactor containment vessel and an increase in the radiation levels at the plant, the agency said.

They can't manage to get enough water out of the ocean???

[animatic]

A bit more from the NYT:

The helicopter crew members had landed aboard the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier whose on-board sensors had indicated that the warship, too, had been exposed to airborne contamination at very low levels. The helicopter crew members were tested individually with hand-held radiation monitors.

The carrier and its strike group were operating about 100 miles northeast of the damaged power plant at the time, but the helicopters had flown closer to assist in relief missions near Sendai, the city that bore much of the brunt of the tsunami after Friday's earthquake.

The Ronald Reagan and other American warships have now sailed to areas where they will not be in the path of radiation carried in the wind.

"As a precautionary measure, U.S.S. Ronald Reagan and other U.S. Seventh Fleet ships conducting disaster-response operations in the area have moved out of the downwind direction from the site to assess the situation and determine what appropriate mitigating actions are necessary," Commander David said.

The worrying thing again is how does the mighty USA military not know that it is sailing into a nuclear fall out area? Relying on the same press releases at the Pentagon these days?

I am sure they had that inconsideration, but came in anyway for humanitarian reasons, and are now moving to a safer spot relative to wind direction. But it didn't say they are completely ceasing aide, just halting for the moment while they assess safety concerns.

[jfchandler]

Thai gov't approves $6.5 mil. in relief aid for Japan

BANGKOK, March 14, Kyodo News

Thailand's Cabinet on Monday approved the release of 200 million baht (some $6.5 million) in support for relief operations in Japan.

Ongart Klampaiboon, a minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office, told reporters the funds will be used to buy relief materials and to cover the expense of relief missions.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in his weekly Cabinet meeting Monday that Thailand must do its best to help Japan since the two countries are good friends.

He noted that Japan contributed aid to Thailand during the quake and tsunami disaster here in December 2004.

Thai government spokesman Panitan Watayakorn said relief materials, including rice, blankets and food, will be dispatched to Japan later Monday, while the medical personnel will depart for affected areas early Tuesday.

http://english.kyodo...1/03/77797.html

Edited March 14, 2011 by jfchandler

[jfchandler]

I am sure they had that inconsideration, but came in anyway for humanitarian reasons, and are now moving to a safer spot relative to wind direction. But it didn't say they are completely ceasing aide, just halting for the moment while they assess safety concerns.

FWIW, after seeing the Kyodo News report on this, I went searching the U.S. DOD and Navy media web sites, and could find nothing posted there on the subject.... nothing on radiation exposure, nothing on a halt to aide ops by the Ronald Reagan carrier...

If anyone finds anything from the U.S. military on the current status of the Ronald Reagan, please post it here.

Edited March 14, 2011 by jfchandler

[elcent]

here the Seventh Fleet - Navy website. The incident is described there too.

http://www.c7f.navy.mil/

[jfchandler]

Japan Police Site Starts Reporting Quake Damage in English

Tokyo, March 14 (Jiji Press)--Japan's National Police Agency on Monday started releasing on its Web site English-language information about damage resulting from Friday's devastating earthquake in the country, including the number of people killed or missing.

The agency decided on the move because the disaster has been drawing strong interest from abroad, an agency official said.

Japanese-language information has been provided on the site since immediately after the 9.0-magnitude quake jolted northern and eastern Japan and triggered massive tsunami waves on Friday afternoon.

In addition to casualty figures, the English-language page offers prefecture-by-prefecture data on landslides as well as damage to buildings, roads and bridges.

Jfchandler note: Unfortunately, the JiJi Press story above contains no link to the web site in question.

Edited March 14, 2011 by jfchandler

[bkkjames]

USS Carrier Ronald Reagan Moved After Detecting Radioactive Plume Off Japan

Ship's Crew Was Exposed to Low Level of Radiation

By LUIS MARTINEZ

March 14, 2011 The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and other US Navy ships in the waters off the quake zone in eastern Japan were repositioned after the detection of a low-level radiation plume from the troubled Fukushima nuclear plant located 100 miles away

According to 7th Fleet Commander and Spokesman Jeff Davis, the ships were moved away from the downwind direction of the plant as a precautionary measure on Sunday.

The carrier is one of seven US Navy ships that were quickly moved to the eastern coast of Japan to assist with relief operations after Friday's earthquake and tsunami.

The ship's crew was exposed to a very low level of radiation.

"The maximum potential radiation dose received by any ship's force personnel aboard the ship when it passed through the area was less than the radiation exposure received from about one month of exposure to natural background radiation from sources such as rocks, soil, and the sun," Davis said.

According to Davis, the radiation was first detected by air particulate detectors aboard three helicopters located 60 miles away from the shoreline.

The helicopters were returning to the carrier from a relief mission to the quake and tsunami ravaged city of Sendai.

Detectors aboard the USS Ronald Reagan also sounded while it was located 100 miles north east of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Low amounts of radioactive materials have been released into the atmosphere as plant officials desperately try to prevent a meltdown of the nuclear cores at two of the plant's reactors.

Davis said the source of the radiation was a radioactive plume emitted by the plant.

After the helicopters landed on the carrier, radioactive contamination was found on the exterior surface of three aircrafts

Following decontamination protocols, the 17 crewmembers aboard and the three helicopters were tested and found to have been exposed to low levels of radiation.

Most of the radiation was found on the crewmembers clothes, but radiation was detected on the skin of one of the crewmembers.

The low level radioactivity from affected personnel was removed by washing with soap and water. Their clothes were also discarded.

They were subsequently surveyed and no further contamination was detected.

A US official said the ship has now moved north, away from where the radiation was detected and the ship's helicopters are not flying until a mitigating strategy to reduce exposure to the ships' crews is determined. Davis stressed that the commitment to the relief mission will continue.

"We remain totally committed to our mission of providing assistance to the people of Japan," he said.

http://abcnews.go.co...ory?id=13129409

[elcent]

Directy from http://www.c7f.navy....3-march/026.htm

USS BLUE RIDGE, At Sea - The U.S. 7th Fleet has temporarily repositioned its ships and aircraft away from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant after detecting low level contamination in the air and on its aircraft operating in the area. The source of this airborne radioactivity is a radioactive plume released from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant.

PACIFIC OCEAN (March 12, 2011) -- USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) is currently underway in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility in the Pacific Ocean. Ronald Reagan is enroute toward Japan to render humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as directed. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Dylan McCord)

For perspective, the maximum potential radiation dose received by any ship's force personnel aboard the ship when it passed through the area was less than the radiation exposure received from about one month of exposure to natural background radiation from sources such as rocks, soil, and the sun.

The ship was operating at sea about 100 miles northeast of the power plant at the time.

Using sensitive instruments, precautionary measurements of three helicopter aircrews returning to USS Ronald Reagan after conducting disaster relief missions near Sendai identified low levels of radioactivity on 17 air crew members. The low level radioactivity was easily removed from affected personnel by washing with soap and water. They were subsequently surveyed, and no further contamination was detected.

As a precautionary measure, USS Ronald Reagan and other U.S. 7th Fleet ships conducting disaster response operations in the area have moved out of the downwind direction from the site to assess the situation and determine what appropriate mitigating actions are necessary.

We remain committed to our mission of providing assistance to the people of Japan.

Edited March 14, 2011 by elcent

[jfchandler]

US pulls ships, aircraft from Japan nuke plant

AP - TOKYO -- The U.S. Seventh Fleet said Monday it had moved its ships and aircraft away from a quake-stricken Japanese nuclear power plant after discovering low-level radioactive contamination.

The fleet said that the radiation was from a plume of smoke and steam released from the crippled Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant, where there have been two hydrogen explosions since Friday's devastating earthquake and tsunami.

The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was about 100 miles (160 kilometers) offshore when its instruments detected the radiation. The fleet said the dose of radiation was about the same as one month's normal exposure to natural background radiation in the environment.

[jfchandler]

OK, so the ABC News report above confirms the earlier Kyodo News report about the suspension of air aid operations from the Ronald Reagan carrier......but you had to go to the very end of the ABC News report to find it...

the ship's helicopters are not flying until a mitigating strategy to reduce exposure to the ships' crews is determined.

[jfchandler]

I gotta take another break... My butt's very sore now... Don't blow up anything while I'm away....

[webfact]

If containment vessel is damaged at Fukushima nuclear plant it could be major disaster, but it hasn't happened yet: Japan's ambassador to UK /BBC

[Crushdepth]

Don't blow up anything while I'm away...

We'll just vent some gas.

Edited March 14, 2011 by Crushdepth

[Crushdepth]

If containment vessel is damaged at Fukushima nuclear plant it could be major disaster, but it hasn't happened yet: Japan's ambassador to UK /BBC

It would be nice if the authorities started publishing useful information instead of brain-dead statements like this.