Published: March 7th, 2012 at 2:03 am ET
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Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future (BRC)
BRC MEMORANDUM
Date: May 10, 2011
Memorandum for: Commissioners
From: BRC Staff
Subject: Overview of the Accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Complex
Link: http://brc.gov/sites/default/files/meetings/presentations/brc_staff_memo_re_fukushima_5-10-11.pdf
Emphasis Added
h/t Enformable
The first two presentations at the May 13th Commission meeting will cover reviews being conducted by the federal government in response to the natural disaster and resulting nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan. The purpose of those presentations is to hear from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy about what steps are being taken to review the safety of domestic nuclear reactor and spent fuel storage facilities in light of the events in Japan. This memorandum provides an overview of the accident and the announced plans for recovery and remediation.
Overview
On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake occurred, with an epicenter approximately 45 miles off the coast of the Tōhoku region of Japan. The earthquake’s magnitude has been estimated at 9.0 on the Richter scale. The epicenter was approximately 109 miles from the Fukushima Daiichi reactor site.
The earthquake was the fourth-largest recorded in the world since 1900, and the largest in modern Japanese history. The earthquake (which has been officially named the Eastern Japan Great Earthquake Disaster) triggered an immense tsunami that devastated large areas of the eastern Japanese coast. Over twenty thousand people are known dead, and thousands more are missing. Damage estimates are unknown at this time but could amount to several hundred billion dollars.
According to Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA), the earthquake and subsequent tsunami affected fourteen nuclear reactors at four sites along the eastern coast – the Fukushima Daiichi site (six reactors), Fukushima Daini site (four reactors), the Ongawa [sic] site (three reactors) and the Tokai site (one reactor).
The most serious damage occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. When the earthquake struck, the three reactors at the site that were operating at the time—Units 1, 2 and 3—automatically shut down. Unit 4 had been shut down about three months before the event and its core unloaded into its spent fuel pool, and Units 5 and 6 had also been shut down well before the event.
Published: March 7th, 2012 at 2:03 am ET
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sending...
And so the truth comes out, in dribs and drabs ….
What new and wonderful admissions is THIS leading up to?
Oh, MAKE MY DAY!
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It is appalling the degree of information suppression which has obviously been in play…. against the citizens ultimately.
I'm quite shocked by this information today. Japan is probably in a more precarious position than I ever believed it was. Who really can believe anything if they have sold us a complete bags of lies?
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BREAKING NEWS!!! Actually the news broke a year ago. The reporting finally broke today! The delay in reporting breaking news is breathtaking; it communicates one major fact. DO NOT TRUST the government, the industries, the regulatory agencies nor the media.
We must change this world before it destroys us.
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But what doz 14 reactors affected mean xzakly?
Can u even have a partial meltdown then just pop back on the juice an its ok good to go? Must we also speak of Spent fuel pools then and common spent pools. Man this is aint sweet folks…. I always wondered why nobody talkin that much about 5 or 6 at Dieitchy or the ALMOST lost them comment about the entire Dieany. WILL summon please tell me the scenario here cuz i cant get my head around this news
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For those who have been following recent threads on here this is the beginning of the confirmation we had discussed with respect to the scope of the disaster. I recently said exactly what the piece is starting to explore and when you take this information and couple it with the thread about the coverup we are beginning to see the shape of the nuclear coffin.
Let us hope that a real disclosure is upcoming about the true extent of what happened on that day and the subsequent weeks and months that followed.
We should all make it our goal to counter the anniversary propoganda we are already witnessing by getting this info out with the cover up story detail two post back.
Thanks for this admin, great post!
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+++ 1K
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Are U.S NPP safe enought?
I found this info "47 nuclear reactors — nearly half of the 104 nuclear plants operating in the United States today — still do not comply with fire regulations established by the NRC in 1980 and amended in 2004."
largest info on :
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ifMyVlQM4UukrCAMLdRX2kMSN-AA?docId=CNG.dca855da9e6c393c07dda475a1590504.941
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Do they mean only 14 reactors at 4 sites were not affected on 3/11
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Higashidōri Nuclear Power Plant
“Although the plant was in maintenance shutdown during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, the April 7th aftershock caused the loss of all external power and the plant had to switch to backup power to supply cooling to the spent fuel pool where the reactor's fuel rods were being stored.[4][5]
“On 24 October 2011 a research group under professor Mitsuhisa Watanabe of the University of Toyo published a report that raised questions about the seismic safety of the plant-site. A number of faults are present under the complex and in this study it is unclear whether these faults might be active, as some experts noted recently in the NISA safety-screening process. In the study, the researchers said that certain characteristics are typicaal for the existence of active faults under the plant site, when they analyzed the surveys conducted by the two utilities for constructing the reactors there. Tohoku Electric and TEPCO, denied that there were active faults, and said that the faults were shaped by the swelling of water-bearing strata. Professor emeritus from Hiroshima University, who took part in the analysis, criticized the utilities for this denial. The new report might have an effect on the decision whether to resume operations of the reactor, and could also affect the earthquake-proof safety screenings of other nuclear plants. [6]….”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Higashid%C5%8Dri_Nuclear_Power_Plant
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Tsunami impact map courtesy Japan Meteorological Agency
In:
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2011/2011-03-11-01.html
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“a Pacific-wide tsunami with a maximum runup height of 37.88 m [124.3 ft.] at Miyako….
“The tsunami had maximum runup heights of 29.6 m [97.1 ft.]at Ofunato, 18.4 m [60.4 ft.] at Onagawa and 9.4 m [30.8 ft.] at Iwaki….”
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/usc0001xgp.php#summary
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“….The earthquake triggered powerful tsunami waves that reached heights of up to 40.5 metres (133 ft) in Miyako in Tōhoku's Iwate Prefecture,[14][15] and which, in the Sendai area, travelled up to 10 km (6 mi) inland.[16] The earthquake moved Honshu 2.4 m (8 ft) east and shifted the Earth on its axis by estimates of between 10 cm (4 in) and 25 cm (10 in).[17][18][19]….”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami
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The Tohoku Tsunami
http://woody.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Tsunami-Hazard-and-Risk-Assessment.pdf
Tsunami waves of over 30 meters high were recorded in places where 10-meter waves were pushed higher by narrow inlets and mountains close to the shore.
http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php?itemid=1677&catid=26&subcatid=161
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“ (1) Higashidori Nuclear Power Station
“Unit 1 was under periodic inspection at the time of earthquake occurrence on March 11, and all the fuel in the reactor core had been taken out and placed into the spent fuel pool.
“Since all of the three lines of off-site power supply had stopped due to the earthquake, off-site power supply was lost and the emergency DG (A) (the emergency DG (B) was under inspection) fed power to the emergency generating line.
“After the off-site power supply was lost due to the Miyagi Earthquake occurred on April 7, emergency DGs started, and the power was securely restored. Following this, although off-site power supply was restored, the emergency DGs stopped operation in an incident, and all the emergency DGs became inoperable.
http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/kan/topics/201106/pdf/chapter_iv-4.pdf
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After climbing through a mountain of information rubish, we now see these plants have too many design flaws to be considered safe. Palo Alto depends on treated sewage from California to operate. This plant is located in the desert and depends on treated sewage to operate. Holy cow. What happens if the water supply is interrupted? Melt down occurs in a matter of minutes without cooling. The operators of these plants don't have a clue to the effects of radiation on the strength of materials used in these plants. If these plants have a meltdown, there is no known material on this earth that can withstand the temperatures generated by the corium. Piping systems inadequated designed for the location. Can the equipment stay on the foundations with the earthquakes? Does the equipment utilize magnetic bearings. Loss of power means the loss of the bearings loss of pumps and drivers. Erosion in the critical cooling piping. After 30 years of carrying water, the pipe is going to erode. The problem here is if they change out the piping, then they owners will have to analysis the piping to comply with NRC. Then the owners will see all of the design flaws. The owners will have to upgrade to the latest code. So they keep using the old equipment so they can use the old codes and avoid costly upgrades. This happens a lot in refineries. If they change out the old equipment then they will have to comply with the lastest EPA requirements. So they continue to use the old equipment.
To cheap to meter. There won't be any meter readers if this insanity continues.
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Fourteen reactors affected? For real?
Still feel OK to live there?
I'm not sure if my instinct that the downwind would be any better with this admission.
Japan is in a nuclear shitstorm then.
Do the Japanese people know fourteen reactors were affected?
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NO ONE knows about this, except a few people reading this blog, and by extension those who hear about it from us. This is the FIRST TIME I have heard for sure, that there are problems at MANY nuclear power plants all across Japan.
There were some reports about Daini at the beginning, but those quickly disappeared. Everything was covered up and buried after that.
This is the biggest coverup since Watergate, in my opinion.
Why?
If people KNEW how HUGE and disastrous this was and how close we came to wiping all life off the planet, they would shut off all nuclear power plants on the planet, IMMEDIATELY.
And that is what they are so desperately afraid of… They would rather cause the extinction of the human race, than admit they are WRONG, and then lose their jobs, careers and whole livelihood.
Guess what? YOUR KIDS are going to die, just like mine are, so make your choice and then live with the consequences. Denial is NOT a river in Egypt.
We were supposed to learn a lesson here.. If we do not learn it here, this is what is coming next. It will not be pretty.
Super Solar Storm Predicted To Hit 2013; Carrington Effect, Year Long Power Blackouts; via A Green Road Blog http://agreenroad.blogspot.com/2012/03/super-solar-storm-predicted-to-hit-2013.html
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There were reports initially, but, alas, you had to search for the information. There were reports from various power companies of problems.. but, you had to look at their website.. just as today, if you go to Tepco.. you can probably see this for yourself.. all along, the wording in the report was insufficient for a layman, perhaps.. but, nuke people knew for sure… the failure was in getting the data and reporting that data to the people. We had very few "insiders" that were not in a conflict of interest position. We can count on one hand eh? Lucas, Arnie, Helen, Chris, Jannette ..a few on the other hand have shown up.. but, all nuclear professionals understand the basics and we as a collective were not informed because these nuke professionals were/are chickenshit.
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Anne may have known about this because she said so much as this at least two months ago. Have to read between the lines, look between the Stuxnet and HAARP references because that can obscure "the issue." That is, we cannot know if Stuxnet or HAARP were involved, etc. But Anne was apparently looking at some info. and named at least three or four of the sites mentioned in this report.
Anne, would you care to chime in here or direct us to one of the other forum threads?
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Agreen road– disastrous this was and how close we came to wiping all life off the planet, they would shut off all nuclear power plants on the planet, IMMEDIATELY.
Let me fix that for u– Disastrous this IS and how we have just come to no that we are officially TOAST- Do the math Russia ONE reactor and buried in 2 weeks– Killed More than a Million– 14 reactors and all those bloody pools Cmon folks kitty up now… we dead
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Yes, I agree; one scenario estimates 600 pounds of plutonium and 20 tons of uranium turned to nano dust and spread out from FUKU globally through at least one MOX fueled nuclear explosion. It could EASILY be worse than that by orders of magnitude, what with 14 reactors and God only knows how many spent fuel pools fissioning and/or leaking, plus who knows how many corium balls melting down into the ground.
Any Bets on 14-28 partial meltdowns anyone?
There is always hope. Check out the natural health thread..
This disaster means potentially millions, hundreds of millions and possibly billions of cases of Big C globally. These will potentially peak out over the next 1-10 years or so, as this goes through all of the living systems on Earth. I hope we are both totally wrong…
How, when or even IF all of this happens depends on variables I have no control of.. Too many things are unknown. If someone were tracking the plutonium and other radioactive elements, and their spread through the human population, we would know more. But the cover up seems to be complete, total and almost absolute, so no one seems to be tracking ANYTHING, much less trying to figure out the total radiation released into air, ground, ocean, etc.
I can only control what I do, and maybe influence a few friends/family.
If I take preventative measures in the natural health world, I can potentially get through this with nothing major happening.
After FUKU, I noticed split nail, fatigue, memory issues, etc, before taking action to detox heavy radioactive metals, with good results. If I do end up with Big C, the natural health option offers me hope.
However, if I know nothing, do nothing, prevent nothing, never detox, and use only standard medicine, my odds go up drastically of something bad happening, (just my 2 cents worth).
Never give up hope.. Miracles can and do happen – DAILY.
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I think several of us here at Enenews had some thoughts about this for a long time….considering the number of closures..the stories about problems at other reactors.. and then silence.
Daiini ..Tokai…Onagawa..do to relative location..had to have suffered the same destruction both geologically via earthquake and then tsumani. And are presently in ongoing uncontrolled fission under the threat of ongoing geological changes and subsequent tsumani.
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I don't have time to read the whole thing. I had heard from the beginning that they had possible overheating problems at several locations, not just Daichi.
I think you can probably safely assume that they had several TMI type melt downs in addition to the catastrophic failures at Diaichi. I've assumed that all-along for Daini and from time to time the others come up in the news.
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I mean my stomach is in knots reading this today. Its like someone in the family admitting they killed Grandma a year after the fact. And the knots are because I think my usual TEPCO JAPAN rule still applies in that this is LESSER than the ugly WHOLE TRUTH of whatever they are talking about.
Fourteen problem reactors is five times worse than three.
Three was already way too much. Too much contamination for Japan specifically was my thinking.
Grin and bear it I guess.
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It looks like to me more like 15 reactors at 5 sites, 2 reprocessing plants at 2 sites, numerous experimental reactors at Tokai-mura, one linear accelerator, and 20 spent fuel pools just from the one earthquake and its aftershocks. And what about future and past earthquakes that have damaged other reactors in Japan?
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Oh, Anne, you did comment here. Good. Where did you find your info. and do we need to follow the thread at one of the other forums?
Thanks!
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Map of 9.0 EQ 11 March 2011 and J-PARC and KEK
http://www.triumf.ca/headlines/director/our-japanese-friends-family-collaborators
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Scroll down on this link:
http://preparator.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/japan-tsunami-reactor-gallery/
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To see damage from the 9.0, 11 March 2011 earthquake see photos:
http://j-parc.jp/picture/2011/03/StatusEnglish0328.pdf
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Aomori Research and Development Center
http://www.jaea.go.jp/english/about/img/aomori.gif
For all research centers see:
http://www.jaea.go.jp/english/about/locationmap.shtml
Rokkasho reprocessing plant is here or nearby.
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http://irfu.cea.fr/Images/astImg/2262_1.jpg
This map is taken from:
http://neutrinoscience.blogspot.com/2010/11/neutrinos-are-coming-once-again.html
See also:
http://enenews.com/plutonium-detected-100km-tokyo-govt
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Seismicity of the Sanriku coast
“The Sanriku coast (三陸海岸 Sanriku kaigan) is a descriptive term referring to Mutsu in Aomori, Rikuchū in Aomori and Rikuzen in Miyagi.[1]
“The irregular coastline and its many bays tend to amplify the destructiveness of tsunami waves which reach the shores of Sanriku,[2] as demonstrated in the damage caused by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami….”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seismicity_of_the_Sanriku_coast
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Please Good Beings of Earth:
WE CAN SURVIVE THIS.
Phytoremediation. Used around Chernobyl to ELIMINATE the radioactive FILTH.
Grow Cannabis – it CLEANS the Soil AND the Air.
Research Phytoremediation with Cannabis and Sunflowers IF YOU WANT TO CONTINUE LIFE ON EARTH.
Medicine (Rick Simpson – Run from the Cure), Food (plant and seeds), Shelter (cellulose based Geopolymers), etc
Mycoremediation works too but the benefits of Cannabis are need NOW.
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@GBCIR: not to disagree with your suggestions, but if the half-life of the long-life isotopes can extend into thousands to hundreds-of-thousands of years, how does the process of Phytoremediation really help? If it's primarily concerned with capturing these isotopes within the plant, are you not obligated to dispose of the residual contaminants at some point?
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GBCIR, have you posted this at the remediation/protection forum? Please do, with details and links if possible.
Aftershock, it's definitely a good question — where do we put all this #&%^* after we have "cleaned it up."
JoyB said bury it somewhere in your yard and label it/put up a sign. Good start, but who will be able to read the sign(s) in thousands of years? Can't put it into greenwaste for obvious reasons!
Every time I do an Ion Cleanse I ask myself the same thing — that is, what am I supposed to do with all this toxic goo I just pulled out of my body?
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@HoTaters: I'm beginning to suspect the motives behind this post; which is landing on several other articles. I was hoping she/he would answer my question. Thanks for jumping on this…
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@HoTaters and AFTERSHOCK – sorry I left the site and only now read your queries.
Other than jettisoning the collected waste into space (better than spending trillions on wars)
We are stuck with the FILTH.
So, we must find a way to minimise to damage. Zeolite can remove hot particles from the body, cannabis oil cures the damage and continues to clean-up.
Sorry for the posts everywhere – I’m just flabbergast at the inaction after 1 year…
Do we mention the 2052 nuclear “tests” and “depleted” uranium AND other meltdowns?
We’re in a lot of trouble if we don’t do something. The BEST solution I’ve seen so far is Phytoremediation…
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@GBCIR: sorry if I raised the specter of questionable motives being-behind your post(s). Should mention that admin is extremely strict (rightfully so) for straying off topic from these article/subjects. Though I attempt to stay on target, I'm probably one of those who needs my wings clipped too!
That said, I agree with your overall suggestion that something must be done; and done soon! I am a proponent of redirecting much of what is now wasteful aerospace spending towards projects that would remove these wastes from our planet. However, I also recognize the proliferation of 'low-level' wastes throughout this planet and that environmentally benign efforts should be explored/developed.
As such, please do us a favor and compile what research and website URLs you may come across, for further analysis by the enenews crowd. If it turns out there's an abundance of unexplored material that offers potential solution to this problem of toxic nuclear isotope contamination, I'm sure admin will allocate an appropriate discussion group for same.
Thank you and keep up the good fight!!!
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Where's remediation/protection forum?
Here are some links: (can an admin move these?)
http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/pae/botany/botany_map/articles/article_10.html
http://www.hemp.net/news/9901/06/hemp_eats_chernobyl_waste.html
http://www.damninteresting.com/harvesting-toxins/
http://pr.cannazine.co.uk/200907101115/green/eco-news/hemp-cleans-up-in-chernobyl.html
http://www.japanhemp.org/en/ya991003.htm
Hemp oil does not cause your body to crave more. It is non-addictive, harmless, and effective for practically any medical condition.
http://www.naturalnews.com/032674_marijuana_radiation.html#ixzz1o0Rin4xi
@aftershock my motives? I should NOT have to state them they SHOULD be obvious: I want ALL of us to LIVE in Peace, Harmony, Tranquillity, Companionship and FUN.
It’s a Sad day when Honesty is NOT obvious. Too much distrust has got us into the MESS. And to HELL with the 1% that would have us believe nuclear “power” is viable. It's for eugenics / war. Hunt them.
In the anti-cannabis debate all participants are intelligent, honourable, and anti-cannabis.
However, the anti-cannabis debaters can ONLY be two of the above conditions.
Easy classification system: Honourable IGNORANCE (ignorance resonates with evil) or Intelligence without honour (psychopathic agenda). Take your pick – but that is what they are: arseholes.
Same for bill gates' vaccination eugenics and Monsanto's Morgellons: http://www.naturalnews.com/035105_Bill_Gates_Monsanto_eugenics.html
Know your enemy. Hunt them.
They are enemies of OUR continued LIFE on Earth.
“To apply your power against those who intend harm, intend harm to them.”
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@ aftershock Oh oh – my Bad – I posted my last reply before refreshing and did NOT see your comment re my motives.
SORRY – I mean no offence!
Peace
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@GBCIR: not a problem! And as you anticipated my requests, you're more than forgiven. However, re-post this information within the appropriate discussion thread:
http://enenews.com/forum-topic-discussion-thread-feb-26-2012-present
I'd suggest removing any references to me and rework the introduction. I don't think it's a violation of posting rules to re-post it to the aforementioned thread, every day.
Thank you for your kind efforts and I will checkout the links…
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Just In: Japanese Expert Says Fukushima II (not I) Nuke Plant's Containment Vessel Has Been Damaged by the Quake
Sunday, January 8, 2012
http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2012/01/japanese-expert-says-fukushima-ii-not-i.html
The following article plus the comments:
More on Fukushima II (Daini): Loss of Function to Remove Residual Heat for Up to 2 Days and 23 Hours, March 11 to 14
Sunday, August 21, 2011
http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2011/08/more-on-fukushima-ii-daini-loss-of.html
Fukushima Daini Reactor Has Broken Containment Vessel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvfg1Db1z7E
and
http://enenews.com/just-in-fukushima-daini-reactor-has-broken-containment-vessel-says-tokyo-professor-probably-caused-by-quake-not-tsunami
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More on Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant:
Information Sheet Regarding the Tohoku Earthquake from Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan
March 13, 2011
“…The Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant and accompanying facilities, located far north of the tsunami zone in Rokkasho Town, is operating safely on backup power generation systems. Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited (JNFL), which operates the Rokkasho facilities, drained a 600-liter spill from the containment pool for spent fuel through a specialized wastewater treatment system. Two casks of low-level nuclear waste (LLW), which were being prepared for transport from Mutsu Ogawara Port when the earthquake occurred, have been successfully received at the Rokkasho facility….”
http://atomicinsights.com/2011/03/information-sheet-regarding-the-tohoku-earthquake-from-federation-of-electric-power-companies-of-japan.html
Rokkasho Reprocessing Facility another leak from spent fuel pool
On June 8th…
http://cnic.jp/english/newsletter/nit107/nit107articles/nit107rokleak.html
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There is also a lot of information about Ibaraki Prefecture and Tokai NPP under this thread:
http://enenews.com/gundersen-they-tried-to-crush-us-our-house-was-foreclosed-on-there-was-bankruptcy-we-were-followed-harassing-calls-sued-for-1-5-million-video/comment-page-1#comment-217373
where I was replying to majia and others added information also. I should have put it all here.
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