Is Nuclear Power Plant under control? ~ Debate view(3/11-3/18)

3/11
Pro

Japan Quake Causes Nuclear Emergency
"there were recriminations following the quake between plant operator† Tokyo Electric and the government, which accused the company of failing to respond quickly enough in the quake's aftermath."
"This time, at least, there seems to have been more open and swift communication between Tokyo Electric and Japenese and international officials."

Georgia Tech Nuclear expert: Japan's nuclear plant doesn't sound dire
"Even if the reactor core were to melt down, Rahnema said it probably would not produce the dire consequences seen in Chernobyl."

Q&A: What's happening at Japanese nuclear plants?
"A similar venting of radiation occurred in the 1979 partial meltdown at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, and no health effects were associated with it."

Japan Quake: Fukushima Reactor Must Be Shut Down, Core Cooled
Simple Technical Information about the Nuke accident

After the quakes: Are Japan's nuclear plants safe?
"The fact the plant reactors had been shut down and the generation of energy -- known as the fission process -- halted, did much to avoid the lethal radioactive fallout witnessed during the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. "

Con

Analysis: Nuclear power growth at risk if Japan plant leaks
"It is serious and it could lead to a meltdown," said Mark Hibbs, a nuclear expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "And what we're seeing, barring any information from the Japanese that they have it under control, is that we're headed in that direction."

Fact Sheet on Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant
"At last Japanese mass media have begun to speak of the possibility of a Chernobyl-style disaster: "福島原発炉心溶融の可能性" [Fukushima Nuclear Power: Core Meltdown Possible] (Nikkei, 12 Mach 2011). †Too late.† I charge the Japanese government, and the mass media which have obeyed it and minimized the extent of the danger till now, with an intent to commit genocide."

Japan's Tsunami & Nuclear Plants: Humans, Not Nature, Made This Crisis
"Hidden Nuclear Crisis"

Dr. Manny: Potential Danger as Radiation Levels Surge in Japan
"If the reactor does indeed melt down, the results could be similar – if not worse – than that of Chernobyl."

Risk of Nuclear Catastrophe Escalates in Japan – ‘Worse than Chernobyl’
"Given the large quantity of irradiated nuclear fuel in the pool, the radioactivity release could be worse than the Chernobyl nuclear reactor catastrophe of 25 years ago."
COMMENTS "I’m really tired of overzealous idiots posing as “scientists” spreading FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) about things they are on a crusade to demolish."

3/12
Pro

Meltdown possible at Japan nuclear plant, official says
"But Steve Kerekes, spokesman for the U.S.-based Nuclear Energy Institute, said that while the situation was serious, a meltdown remains unlikely and, even if it occurred would not necessarily pose a threat to public health and safety."

Fukushima nuclear plant blast puts Japan on high alert
"No Chernobyl is possible at a light water reactor. Loss of coolant means a temperature rise, but it also will stop the reaction," he said.
"Even in the worst-case scenario, that would mean some radioactive leakage and equipment damage, but not an explosion. If venting is done carefully, there will be little leakage. Certainly not beyond the 3km radius."

Con

Red Alert: Nuclear Meltdown at Quake-Damaged Japanese Plant
"At this point, events in Japan bear many similarities to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. "

West Coast USA Danger IF Japan Nuclear Reactor Meltdow
"Any airborne radioactive Fallout would make its way across with the jet stream, reaching the U.S. in approximately 36 hours, depending on the actual speed of the jet and how quickly the particles mixed in with the jetstream."

Possible Fukushima Nuclear Fallout Projections For the U.S, MOX Fuel In Plant #3

Behind the Hydrogen Explosion at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant

The Fukushima nuclear plant lost containment integrity and is leaking radiation
"In the US, in about a week, it is possible that a cloud of radiation
might reach California, and in 10 days hit VT."

3/13
Pro

Q&A: Explosion at Fukushima nuclear plant
“Three Mile Island is realistic but it is the worst case scenario. The best case is that the plant has closed down but without any fuel melting.”

Fukushima Nuclear Accident – a simple and accurate†explanation
"At this point the plant operators begin to follow emergency procedures that are in place for a “loss of cooling event.” These are procedural steps following the “Depth in Defense” approach. All of this, however shocking it seems to us, is part of the day-to-day training you go through as an operator."

Radiation at Fukushima nuclear plant 'normal': IAEA
"Radiation dose rate measurements observed at four locations around the plant's perimeter over a 16-hour period on March 13 were all normal,"

The Fukushima nuclear reactor disaster and its implications to public health
"Exposure to ionizing radiation is part and parcel of living on Earth – not only are we constantly bombarded by radiation from space, but the the Earth itself is significantly radioactive – this is what keeps the planet’s core hot and powers volcanoes, plate tectonics and other geological phenomena.† As a result, we are exposed to an average background radiation level of around 2.4 mSv/year -or roughly 0.27 µSv/h."

Con

Japan Struggles to Control Reactors
"Some analysts say the government may be downplaying the real risk of a major disaster"

Tokyo Electric Tries to Cool Unstable Atomic Reactor; Thousands Evacuated
"A meltdown, which would cause massive immediate damage"

The Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Explosions: What The Hell Have They NOT Been Telling Us?
"This power plant meltdown can be 2 MILLION times Worse than Chernobyl!† This could make the whole country of Japan uninhabitable, besides being carried around the world!"

3/15
Pro

Situation at Fukushima nuclear plant
"The basic situation is, you know, is the Japanese are trying to keep the reactors cool by pumping sea water that will keep the temperature down; that’s their first line of defence. †And up to now that’s been working… reasonably well. "
"Now the first thing to say about that is do we have any concerns now in terms of human health. †Well the answer is yes we do, but only in the immediate vicinity of the reactors. †So the 20 kilometre exclusion zone the Japanese have actually imposed is sensible and proportionate. †If they extended out a little bit more to 30 kms, that is well within the sort of parameters that we would think are extremely safe.††"

Tracking Radioactive Drift from Fukushima Nuclear Plant
"But beyond the vicinity of the blast site, the radiation may not pose much of a risk (although the Japanes government has widened its containment zone to 30km from 20km earlier in the day)."

Meltdown looks more imminent
"In the Chernobyl accident, the explosion spread nuclear materials containing 'death ash' and contaminated many people," Maekawa, a counselor at the Nuclear Safety Research Association, said, ruling out such an explosion in Fukushima.

Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants: Hot or Not?
"You Can Stop Worrying About A Radiation Disaster In Japan -- Here's Why"

How Nuclear Reactors Work, And How They Fail
"If you've been following the news, you've seen some pretty alarming stuff going on at this plant--terms like "explosion," "partial meltdown," "evacuation," and "radiation exposure." With details sparse from the chaotic scene, here's what you need to know to understand and make sense of the news unfolding in Japan."

Con

Kan raps Tokyo Electric's handling of nuclear crisis
''What the hell is going on?''

Underground information on what's happening at Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan - a dirty bomb waiting to go off
"Given the earthquake realities of Japan, these reactor building were basically dirty bombs waiting to be set off by a [natural] disaster"

Fukushima Nuclear Plant ‘No Longer Sealed’

Radioactive explosion at Fukushima nuclear plant seems to indicate a level 6 catastrophe, almost as bad as Chernobyl
"The radiation that emanates from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant can now affect human life. "

Meltdown threat rises at Fukushima nuclear plant

3/16 - No significant news

3/17
Pro


Con

Fukushima nuclear plant owner falsified inspection records
"THE Japanese owner of the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant falsified safety data and "dishonestly" tried to cover up problems there."

Japan Asks American Help Regarding Fukushima Nuclear Plant
"Shocking documents revealed today 16 March 2011 show that Japan knew about the problems they have with the safety of their Nuclear Plants long ago.Now they are considering asking for American help as Fukushima situation is critical."

With Quest to Cool Fuel Rods Stumbling, U.S. Sees ‘Weeks’ of Struggle
"In the worst case, experts say, workers could be forced to vacate the plant altogether, and the fuel rods in reactors and spent fuel pools would be left to melt down, leading to much larger releases of radioactive materials."

Radioactive Particles from Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Head to North America
"Radioactive is currently heading to the North America."

3/18
Pro

Situation at Fukushima nuclear plant not worsening: IAE
"The situation of Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant remains "very serious" but it appears to have become stable, said the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Thursday."

Fate of Nuclear Plant in Japan Hangs in the Balance as Melting Continues
"And time is on our side. The steam indicates that at least some cooling is going on and the heat of such fuel rods drops off dramatically over a period of days or weeks. Though cooling will need to continue for months, the risk of a catastrophic meltdown diminishes with each passing hour."

Con

Japan Considering “Chernobyl Option” at Fukushima Nuclear Plant
"Japanese engineers today admitted that the “Chernobyl option,” or burying the crippled plant in sand and concrete"