175 replies to this topic

[Bob-C]

Hi everyone, according to a report from enenews.com, "'They lied to us': Radiation release comparable to Chernobyl — Total core meltdown in all 3 reactors — Worst industrial catastrophe in world history (CNN VIDEO) June 22nd, 2011 at 05:14 AM." The report states:

Fukushima 'still a ticking time bomb', CNN, June 21, 2011:

Transcript Excerpts


[Emphasis Added]

ROMANS [CNN HOST]: Then Fukushima. The disaster that won't go away. Nobody is paying attention. But is the nuclear meltdown more dangerous than ever? [...] Michio Kaku on the biggest industrial catastrophe in history. [...]

KAKU: In the last two weeks, everything we knew about that accident has been turned upside down. We were told three partial melt downs, don't worry about it. Now we know it was 100 percent core melt in all three reactors. Radiation minimal that was released. Now we know it was comparable to radiation at Chernobyl. [...]

ROMANS: In your view, did they not know how bad it was or they knew and didn't tell [...]

KAKU: [...] We knew it was much more severe than they were saying, because radiation was coming out left and right. So in other words, they lied to us. [...]

ROMANS: [...] within hours not even a day, there were already statements from the company and International Atomic Energy Association saying there had been safe shut down of all reactors. [...]

KAKU: [...] in New York City, you can actually see it in the milk. You can actually see it has iodine, 131, actually spiked a little bit in our milk in New York City, but it is very small.

ROMANS: Just even hearing that, though, even hearing that you can detect it, that there's a catastrophe, worst industrial catastrophe in history, we can see it in milk in New York, that's frightening. [...]

KAKU: [...] Realize Chernobyl was one core's worth radiation causing a $200 billion accident and it is still on- going. Here we have 20 cores worth of radiation. Three totally melted, one damaged and the [rest in] spent fuel pumps, 20 cores worth of highly radioactive materials. [...]

Bob-C

[Bob-C]

Hi everyone, according to a report from enenews.com, "8-month-old NRC letter: At 1,010 ft water would enter Ft. Calhoun's auxiliary building, shorting power and submerging pumps; Could then have a station blackout with core damage within 15-18 hours — Water now at 1,007 ft June 25th, 2011 at 10:35 AM."

A Nuclear Plant's Flood Defenses Trigger a Yearlong Regulatory Confrontation, New York Times, June 24, 2011:

[The water level at Ft. Calhoun nuclear plant] reached a height of nearly 1,007 feet above sea level at the plant yesterday. [...]

The NRC responded in its October 2010 letter that once flooding reached 1,004 feet, water would have entered the plant and the ability of emergency workers to move around the site would "significantly degrade." [...]

At 1,010 feet, water would begin to enter the auxiliary building, "shorting power and submerging pumps. The plant could then experience a station blackout with core damage estimated within 15 to 18 hours," under a worst-case scenario, the NRC said. [...]

"They also ordered us to revise our policies and procedures and make whatever changes were necessary to bring the design basis up to 1,014. We did so, and we believe we are now in compliance with the NRC and are awaiting a final inspection." -Omaha Public Power District spokesman Michael Jones

Bob-C

[Bob-C]

Hi everyone, according to a report from enenews.com, "ABC: Federal gov't 'so concerned' about Ft. Calhoun situation that NRC chairman is headed to plant June 26th, 2011 at 07:31 PM."The report explains:

NRC Chairman to Visit Nebraska Nuclear Plants -June 24, 2011

<script type=text/javascript src="http://enenews.com/w...p_ten_id=5148">
Related Posts

• NRC says it is "closely monitoring" Missouri River as floodwaters rise at Cooper and Fort Calhoun nuclear plants June 22, 2011
• WSJ reports press release from NRC saying Ft. Calhoun's flood deficiencies were remedied — No mention of recent NYT report that NRC's evaluation of plant's new defenses is not complete June 25, 2011
• NRC in 2010: Major flood could cause core damage at Ft. Calhoun nuke plant– Cited for second most serious category of violation June 21, 2011
• Radioactive releases "not expected" at Omaha nuke plant — "As of now, there has been no risk to the public" June 16, 2011
• NRC takes "unusual step" of sending top regional regulator and more inspectors to troubled Omaha nuke plant (PHOTO) June 17, 2011

Bob-C

[Bob-C]

Hi everyone, according to a report from enenews.com, "Auxiliary building at Ft. Calhoun surrounded by water after berm failure — NRC letter said if water enters auxilary building, could have station blackout with core damage in hours June 26th, 2011 at 03:04 PM." The report states:

Flood berm collapses at Nebraska nuclear plant, Associated Press, June 26, 2011:

[...] The [NRC] had inspectors at the plant 20 miles north of Omaha when the 2,000-foot berm collapsed about 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Water surrounded the auxiliary and containment buildings at the plant, it said in a statement. [...]

A Nuclear Plant’s Flood Defenses Trigger a Yearlong Regulatory Confrontation, New York Times, June 24, 2011:

[...] At 1,010 feet, water would begin to enter the auxiliary building, “shorting power and submerging pumps. The plant could then experience a station blackout with core damage estimated within 15 to 18 hours,” under a worst-case scenario, the NRC said. [...]

The power supply has now been cut at Ft. Calhoun after water surrounded the main electrical transformers. The plant is currently running on emergency generators as workers try to restore electricity.

Bob-C

[Bob-C]

Hi everyone, according to a report from enenews.com, "NY Magazine: This will sound familiar — Backup generators are working to cool nuclear materials June 26th, 2011 at 08:51 PM ." The report stated:

Natural Disasters Affect Nuclear Plants In America, Too, New York Magazine, June 26, 2011:

[...] Mississippi River floodwaters have breached some of the protection around the Fort Calhoun nuclear plant in Nebraska, and now the water has reached containment buildings and transformers. Electricity has been cut [...] and this will sound familiar—backup generators are working to cool the nuclear materials. [...]

Bob-C

[Bob-C]

Hi everyone, according to a report from enenews.com, "Many containers of fuel to power pumps were washed away after breach at Ft. Calhoun nuke plant June 27th, 2011 at 08:58 AM." The report explains:

Event Notification Report for June 27, 2011, NRC, June 27, 2011:

Event Number: 46989
Facility: FORT CALHOUN
Event Date: 06/26/2011
Event Time: 10:45 [CDT]

Event Text
OFFSITE NOTIFICATION DUE TO PETROLEUM RELEASE TO THE MISSOURI RIVER

“At approximately 0125 CDT, the AquaDam providing enhanced flood protection for Fort Calhoun Station Unit 1 failed. This resulted in approximately 100 gallons of petroleum being released into the river after a protective barrier was breached and many fuel containers were washed out to the river. The fuel/oil containers were staged around the facility to supply fuel for pumps which remove water within the flood containment barriers. The spill was reported to the State of Nebraska at 10:45 AM CDT on 6/26/2011.

Bob-C

[Bob-C]

Hi everyone, according to a report from enenews.com, "100% chance of reactor core damage if floodwaters went above 1010 ft. at Ft. Calhoun nuke plant, NRC said in 2010 — River now around 1,007 ft. and expected to riseJune 27th, 2011 at 02:36 PM ." The report states:

The NRC in Action at Fort Calhoun, Monthly Review by Dave Lochbaum, June 27, 2011:

[...] During their routine inspections of weather protection readiness in 2010 [...] NRC estimated there was a 100% chance of reactor core damage caused by a flood rising above 1010 feet. The table at the top of Figure 1 provides the NRC’s assessment of the flooding risk while the table at the bottom provides the results from the risk assessment by Fort Calhoun Station (FCS). The company contested the NRC’s estimate. Its calculations showed that the chance of core meltdown was merely 19% for floods above 1010 feet and up to and including 1010.8 feet and only 23.9% for floods above 1010.8 feet to 1014 feet. [...]

UCS cannot say that these NRC actions already prevented an accident at Fort Calhoun or that they will prevent one should the flood waters continue to rise. However, the NRC did its job last year. The NRC’s inspectors found that Fort Calhoun was supposed to be protected against floods rising to 1014 feet, but was not. The NRC’s risk analysts determined that this deficiency was not academic — floods above 1010 feet had a 100 percent chance of core meltdown. And the NRC’s managers used the agency’s enforcement process to compel the plant’s owner to remedy the shortcomings rather than merely debate their risk. [...]

A Nuclear Plant’s Flood Defenses Trigger a Yearlong Regulatory Confrontation, New York Times, June 24, 2011:

[The water level at Ft. Calhoun nuclear plant] reached a height of nearly 1,007 feet above sea level at the plant yesterday. [...]

Bob-C

[Bob-C]

Hi everyone, according to a report from enenews.com, "River water now surrounds spent fuel pool building and main reactor building at Ft. Calhoun after collapse of water-filled dam — Barriers at entrance to keep water out June 27th, 2011 at 07:6 PM." The report explains:

[...] Because of the collapsed water-filled dam, river water surrounds the main reactor building, mechanical building, spent fuel pool building and other structures.

Barriers at entrances to the buildings are keeping that water from entering, [Omaha Public Power District spokesman Jeff Hanson] said. A “minor” amount of water did seep into the plant’s turbine building, he said, and was pumped out. [...]

Bob-C

[Bob-C]

Hi everyone, according to an report from enenews.com, "Japan 'discovers' tons of radioactive water have been leaking into ground at Fukushima June 28th, 2011 at 12:37 PM." The report states:

Radioactive water leaks from Japan's damaged plant, Reuters, June 28, 2011:

Tons of radioactive water were discovered on Tuesday to have leaked into the ground from Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant, the latest in a series of leaks at the plant damaged in a March earthquake and tsunami, the country's nuclear watchdog said. [...]

Bob-C

[Bob-C]

Hi everyone, according to a report from enenews.com, "Cooling pump fails at New Jersey nuclear reactor, plant shut down — Remains in 'hot shutdown' June 28th, 2011 at 01:27 PM." The report states:

Salem Unit 2 nuclear reactor shuts down after cooling pump failure, NJ.com, June 28, 2011:

[indent=1]The Salem Unit 2 nuclear plant remained shut down this afternoon following a problem with a reactor coolant pump, according to a spokesman for the plant's operator. [...]

The cause of the pump failure is still being investigated, according to Delmar. The plant functioned as designed, he said.

The plant remained in "hot shutdown" mode this afternoon. [...]

Bob-C

Edited by Bob-C, 28 June 2011 - 03:20 PM.