New Fukushima Live Camera

Kamikaze nuclear workers by TEPCO

Tokyo - (PanOrient News) The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co., or TEPCO, concealed data showing surges in radiation levels at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March, one day before a hydrogen explosion injured seven workers, the daily Asahi Shimbun reported.

The paper cited a 100-page internal TEPCO report containing minute-to-minute data on radiation levels at the plant as well as pressure and water levels inside the No. 3 reactor from March 11 to April 30.

This is certain to make another blow to the company image that is shattered by its handling of the worst nuclear accident in Japan's history.

The unpublished information shows that at 1:17 p.m. on 13 March, 300 millisieverts of radiation per hour was detected inside a double-entry door at the No. 3 reactor building. At 2:31 p.m., the radiation level was measured at 300 millisieverts or higher per hour to the north of the door. Both levels were well above the upper limit of 250 millisieverts for an entire year under the plant's safety standards for workers.

“But the workers who were trying to bring the situation under control at the plant were not informed of the levels.” 

Government preparing N-crisis road map

The Yomiuri Shimbun

The government is preparing a road map on its measures related to the nuclear crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant, including assistance for victims and restoration of the areas contaminated by radiation from the plant, it has been learned.

The road map will stipulate that a third-party panel will investigate the crisis and draw up an interim report by the end of this year, sources said. Prime Minister Naoto Kan recently announced creation of the panel.

The government plans to adopt the road map on Tuesday at its Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters, according to sources. On the same day, Tokyo Electric Power Co. plans to announce a revision of its road map for stabilizing the nuclear reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant. TEPCO announced its initial road map on April 17.

By announcing its road map on the same day, the government aims to highlight its measures, according to the sources.

The third-party panel will investigate the cause of the nuclear accident and discuss measures to prevent similar accidents. It will also review the government's and TEPCO's handling of the nuclear crisis.

The government plans to stipulate in its road map that full-fledged restoration activities for areas contaminated by radiation from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant will begin by autumn, so that the rebuilding activities in the areas will not lag behind those in other areas hit by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, the sources said.

In its initial road map, TEPCO said it would seek to significantly reduce the amount of radioactive substances from the crippled nuclear complex within six to nine months. However, various newly-emerged factors forced the utility firm to review the plan.

(May. 16, 2011)

Another worker dies at Fukushima plant

The cause of the worker's death was unknown. The man, in his 60s, was employed by one of Tokyo Electric's contractors and started working at the plant on Friday. He was exposed to 0.17 millisieverts of radiation on Saturday, Tokyo Electric said.

The Japanese government's maximum level of exposure for male workers at the plant is 250 millisieverts for the duration of the effort to bring it under control.

The worker fell ill 50 minutes after starting work at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday (5 p.m. EDT on Friday) and brought to the plant's medical room unconscious. He was later moved to a nearby hospital and confirmed dead, a Tokyo Electric spokesman said.


Maybe wasn't 0.17 millisieverts/hour but more! Tepco no more lies!

Japan nuclear: Tepco make a retreat from Fukushima

Japanese engineers have abandoned their latest attempt to stabilise a stricken reactor at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The plant's operator, Tepco, had intended to cool reactor 1 by filling the containment chamber with water.

But Tepco said melting fuel rods had created a hole in the chamber, allowing 3,000 tonnes of contaminated water to leak into the basement of the reactor building.

The power plant was badly damaged by the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March.

Cooling systems to the reactors were knocked out, fuel rods overheated, and attempts to release pressure in the chambers led to explosions in the buildings housing the reactors.

The government and Tepco (Tokyo Electric Power Company) said it would take until next January to achieve a cold shut-down at the plant.

Government spokesman Goshi Hosono said the latest setback would not affect the deadline.

"We want to preserve the timetable, but at the same time we're going to have to change our approach," he said.

Tepco says it will come up with a new plan to stabilise the reactor by Tuesday.

Japanese broadcaster NHK said Tepco was now studying a plan to circulate water from the basement through a decontamination filter and back into the reactor.

The earthquake and tsunami killed thousands of people and left many more homeless.

The tsunami flattened buildings in fishing villages and port towns, and swept debris miles in land.

Last week the government agreed a huge compensation package for those affected by the disaster.

Analysts say the final bill for compensation could top $100bn (£61bn).