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Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

Pathfinder

Editor, Senior Moderator
Monday, March 14, 2011

Public Safety Canada Update - 6:00 p.m.: "Damaged Japanese Nuclear Power Plants not Expected to Pose Risk to Canada" - The Government of Canada is actively monitoring the situation and assessing the potential risks to Canada as a result of the damage to power plants in Japan. The situation in Japan is not expected to pose any health or safety risk to Canada. Federal departments and agencies are closely working together and are in close contact with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Government of Japan and the international community to manage the current situation.
CNSC Update - 4:15 p.m.: The situation at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station continues to evolve. On Saturday, March 12th, a build up of hydrogen gas resulted in an explosion at Fukushima Dai-ichi Unit 1. On March 14th, a similar explosion occurred at Fukushima Dai-ichi Unit 3. In both cases, the build up of hydrogen resulted from venting of vapor from the primary containment vessel into the secondary containment building.

Please note that there does not appear to be any damage to the primary containment vessel of either reactor as a result of the explosions.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) continues its efforts to cool the reactors in Units 1 and 3 through the injection of sea water and boron. Similarly, Fukushima Dai-ichi Unit 2 is experiencing cooling system problems and TEPCO, the Japanese operator, is preparing to inject sea water into the reactor.

It should be noted that the automatic shut-down systems on these reactors worked as designed when the earthquake struck, however, the following tsunami damaged the primary and back-up power systems for the reactors, which resulted in the failure of the reactor cooling pumps.
Japanese authorities are reporting to the IAEA on the status of their nuclear power plants. To read more, please visit the IAEA Web site.

The CNSC continues to monitor the situation in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and other federal counterparts and is in constant communication with the IAEA International Seismic Safety Centre, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency, and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The CNSC, as the Canadian nuclear regulator, is confident about the safety of Canada?s fleet of nuclear reactors regarding seismic activity. The CNSC would like to reassure Canadians that nuclear power plants located in Canada are among the most robust designs in the world and have redundant safety systems to prevent damage in the case of an earthquake. The CNSC sets requirements and verifies that its licensees meet those requirements. All licensees must have effective emergency procedures in place which are regularly tested through drills and exercises, and can manage potential consequences so that workers, the public and the environment are protected.

[...]
http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/...ch-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm#MondayMarch14
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

<H1>CNSC information update regarding the earthquake in Japan </H1>

Tuesday, March 15, 2011


IAEA Update - 10:30 a.m.: Around 06:15 on March 15th there was an explosion in the containment building of Daiichi Unit 2 in the area of the suppression pool. There is evidence to suggest that there may be damage to the containment vessel but this has not been confirmed.

Given increased radiation reading in the area of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has evacuated all non-essential staff from the plant area, leaving only a 50-person team that is maintaining the reactor cooling activities. It has also been reported this morning that there was a fire at the spent fuel storage pond at Daiichi Unit 4 and that radioactivity was being released into the atmosphere. The fire has burned itself out.


At 00:00 UTC on 15 March a dose rate of 11.9 millisieverts (mSv) per hour was observed at the main gate of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Six hours later, at 06:00 UTC on 15 March a dose rate of 0.6 millisieverts (mSv) per hour was observed. suggesting that the level of radioactivity is decreasing at the plant.

Sheltering around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has now been extended up to 30 kilometres, keeping the evacuation zone of 20 kilometres.

Japanese authorities are reporting to the IAEA on the status of their nuclear power plants. To read more, please visit the IAEA Web site. The CNSC continues to monitor the situation in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and other federal counterparts and is in constant communication with the IAEA International Seismic Safety Centre, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency, and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.


The CNSC, as the Canadian nuclear regulator, is confident about the safety of Canada?s fleet of nuclear reactors regarding seismic activity. The CNSC would like to reassure Canadians that nuclear power plants located in Canada are among the most robust designs in the world and have redundant safety systems to prevent damage in the case of an earthquake. The CNSC sets requirements and verifies that its licensees meet those requirements. All licensees must have effective emergency procedures in place which are regularly tested through drills and exercises, and can manage potential consequences so that workers, the public and the environment are protected.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/updates/march-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

CNSC information update regarding the earthquake in Japan


Wednesday, March 16, 2011
CNSC Update - 1:45 p.m.: The situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (NPP) remains unstable. Japanese authorities and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) continue their efforts to regain control of the station?s reactors.

Status:
  • Unit 1 experienced a hydrogen explosion on March 11. Containment is intact. The fuel is damaged. The unit is being cooled with sea water.
  • Unit 2 experienced a hydrogen explosion on March 14. There is concern that there is a defect in the containment. The fuel is damaged. The unit is being cooled with sea water.
  • Unit 3 experienced a hydrogen explosion on March 13. Containment may be damaged. The fuel is damaged. The unit is being cooled with sea water. White steam was observed emanating from Unit 3 around 21:00 EDT on March 15.
  • Unit 4: Japanese authorities informed the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that a fire in the reactor building of Unit 4 of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was seen at 16:45 EDT on March 15. As of 17:15 EDT on March 15, the fire could no longer be observed. There is no fuel in the reactor at Unit 4. Containment is not a concern. Damage is suspected in the spent fuel storage bay.
  • Units 5 and 6 are physically separate from the other units and were in maintenance outages at time of earthquake. Given rising temperatures, spent fuel is a concern.
There are growing concerns regarding radiation in and around the Daiichi NPP. Japanese authorities have established a 20 kilometre evacuation zone around the plant and declared a 30 kilometre no-fly zone. People in the 20 to 30 kilometre radius have been instructed to shelter in place.

Based on the information currently available, there is no radiation health risk to Canadians resulting from the events in Japan. It is anticipated that the amount of radiation reaching Canada, if any, would be negligible and not pose a health risk to Canadians.

The CNSC continues to monitor the situation carefully and is working with other federal government departments and agencies, with its international counterparts and with the IAEA on the analysis of the situation.

Public Safety Canada has posted a statement from the Government of Canada, as well as Frequently Asked Questions.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/...11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm#WednesdayMarch16
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

CNSC information update regarding the earthquake in Japan


Thursday, March 17, 2011
CNSC Update - 12:00 p.m.: Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) personnel, assisted by the Japanese Self-Defence Force, are continuing efforts to restore cooling to the damaged reactors and to the spent fuel storage pools at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

Military helicopters were used to drop seawater on Units 3 and 4, while police trucks equipped with water cannons were being positioned to pour water on the reactors. Efforts are under way to restore electrical power to the station.

All other nuclear power reactors in Japan are reported to be in normal operation or safely shut down.

Following consultations with the CNSC and other Government of Canada experts, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has updated its travel advisory to indicate that Canadians should avoid travelling within an 80-km radius of the Fukushima NPS. Furthermore ? given the evolving situation ? Canadians living within 80 km of the plant should consider evacuating the area, as a further precaution.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/updates/march-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

CNSC information update regarding the Japanese nuclear facilities


Friday, March 18, 2011
CNSC Update - 11:15 a.m. EDT: The IAEA reports the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station (NPS) remains serious, but has not significantly worsened.
The IAEA also reports that Japan has raised the incident level to a 5 on the 1-7 International Nuclear Events Scale (INES), 7 being the highest. Japan has applied an individual rating to each of the Fukushima Daiichi reactors, as follows:
Daiichi 1: INES Level 5
Daiichi 2: INES Level 5
Daiichi 3: INES Level 5
Daiichi 4: INES Level 3* (correction)
At this time, an effort is under way to restore the electrical grid power to Units 1 and 2. Cables are being laid but have not yet been connected to the grid. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) hopes to be able to supply electricity by Friday afternoon local time.

At 17:30 (Japan time), Japan?s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency reported that Fukushima Units 5 and 6 have successfully regained emergency power and that water is being supplied to the spent fuel storage pools.

Core cooling for Units 1 and 3 appears to be stable. Unit 2 core cooling is not yet stable. The spent fuel storage pools of Units 3 and 4 are considered to be of concern, and the Unit 4 pool remains in need of active cooling. TEPCO reports plans for other attempts to spray water from air and ground.

Health Canada has issued a statement that no radiation at harmful levels will reach Canada.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued a travel advisory for Japan.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/...ch-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm#FridayMarch18
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

Saturday, March 19, 2011
CNSC Update - 4:15 p.m. EDT: Efforts continue to restore electrical grid power to Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station Units 1, 2, 3 and 4. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) says they will complete the Unit 1 and 2 power grid connections by March 20th. In the interim, seawater is being injected and sprayed into the damaged reactor structures to cool the reactor vessels and the spent fuel storage pools.
Japan?s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) reports the start-up of a second emergency diesel generator for Unit 6 and that cooling of the Unit 6 spent fuel storage pool has started using power from a Unit 6 emergency diesel generator.

The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has confirmed the presence of radioactive iodine contamination in food products measured from March 16 - 18 in the Fukushima Prefecture, the area around the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
In response, Japan's Nuclear Safety Commission recommended local authorities to instruct evacuees leaving the 20-kilometre area to ingest stable (not radioactive) iodine. As well, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is looking at whether to order a halt to the sale of all food products from the Fukushima Prefecture.

There has been no change in Health Canada?s assessment of radiation risk on Canada?s Pacific coast.

---------------------------------------------------

Sunday, March 20, 2011
CNSC Update - 12:50 p.m. EDT: Work is progressing on the reconnection of grid electrical power to reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi NPS. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has connected external transmission lines and confirmed that electricity can be supplied. TEPCO reports cooling system pumping equipment will be tested to ensure it is not damaged and that they will begin pumping coolant to Units 1 to 4 as soon as possible

TEPCO continues to inject seawater into the reactor pressure vessels of Units 1, 2 and 3. Water is also being sprayed onto the spent fuel storage pools of Units 3 and 4. Power to Units 5 and 6 is being supplied by diesel generators and the residual heat removal pumps have been started up to cool the spent fuel storage pools.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/fr/m...11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm#WednesdayMarch16
 
Last edited:
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

CNSC information update regarding the Japanese nuclear facilities


Monday, March 21, 2011
CNSC Update - 2:30 p.m. EDT: There have been some positive developments in the past 24 hours at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS). However the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says that the overall situation remains serious.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) continues its efforts to re-establish AC power to the NPS. TEPCO reports it has completed the cabling to Units 1 and 2 and that systems are being tested before they are energized.

The Japanese Self-Defence Force and Tokyo Fire Department continue to spray water onto Units 3 and 4 to cool the reactor vessels and spent fuel storage pools, while efforts to re-establish AC power are under way. Industrial pumps are in transit from Australia, and these pumps should allow water to be more accurately directed into the spent fuel storage pools.

Grayish smoke from Unit 3 appeared for a brief period this morning, prompting a temporary withdrawal of workers from the unit.

The IAEA has confirmed that reactor Units 5 and 6 achieved cold shutdown on March 20. Japan?s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) reports the reactors are now in a safe mode, with cooling systems stable and under control and with low temperature and pressure within the reactors.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that levels of iodine exceeding the national standard were detected yesterday in the water supply in the Iidate village, approximately 30 km away from the Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

Local residents were advised not to drink the water.

Authorities have reported that radiation in certain food samples exceeded maximum allowable levels set by the government. The samples in question were milk from Fukushima Prefecture, and spinach and onions from the neighbouring Ibaraki Prefecture. Federal and prefecture governments will continue to monitor and analyze food samples to detect contamination.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/...ch-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm#MondayMarch14
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

CNSC information update regarding the Japanese nuclear facilities


Tuesday, March 22, 2011
CNSC Update - 12:00 p.m. EDT: Responders at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station (NPS) continue their efforts to cool the reactors in Units 1-3 and the spent fuel storage pools in Units 1-4. The Japanese Self-Defence Force is leading the work, with advice from Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) staff and experts of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Equipment integrity checks are continuing for Unit 2.

As reported yesterday, Units 5 and 6 have achieved cold shutdown state and are stable. Unit 5 was switched to AC power late yesterday, the first reactor on site to be re-connected to the electrical grid.

There has been little change in the past 24 hours, although work continues on the electrical connections to the grid. Unit 5 is now powered by the electrical grid and equipment integrity checks are continuing for Unit 2.

Specialized water pumping equipment with a reach of up to 100 metres has arrived on site. It will be used to inject water directly into spent fuel pools in Units 3-4.

Over the course of the accident, there has been great interest in how radioactive material may have spread from the site. A team of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) personnel Japan is assisting the Japanese government with environmental monitoring. TEPCO reports that it detected cobalt, iodine and cesium on March 21 in the seawater around the discharge canal of Units 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Japanese authorities have reported that they will measure radioactivity in the marine environment around the Fukushima Daiichi NPS. The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology will conduct tests on March 22 and 23, and results will be available on March 24.

Japan Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency: Fukushima Daiichi NPS Reactor Status (as of March 22, 2011 at 11:00 a.m., Japan time)

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/updates/march-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

CNSC information update regarding the Japanese nuclear facilities


Wednesday, March 23, 2011
CNSC Update - 12:30 p.m. EDT: There has been little change to the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station (NPS) throughout the past 24 hours. Additional equipment, including modified concrete pumping trucks, continues to be deployed to spray sea water into the reactors in Units 1 to 3 and spent fuel storage pools in Units 1 to 4. A modified concrete pumping truck sprayed sea water into the Unit 4 spent fuel pool today.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reports that electricity from the grid has been connected to substations in Units 1 to 6. The cooling systems in Units 5 and 6 are now running on external AC power and the units are stable. Other units are gradually having equipment energized as equipment integrity checks are completed. The Unit 3 control room now has lighting, but is not yet staffed or in use. Some instrumentation has been brought back online for Units 1, 2 and 4, which will allow operators to better understand the extent of damage to these units.

There have been periodic media reports of smoke from the reactor buildings in Units 1 to 3. This could be a result of turning on damaged pumps and other equipment for the first time since the earthquake and tsunami, as part of systems integrity testing.

The Japanese Atomic Information Forum reports that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will expand the area for monitoring radioactive nuclides in seawater to 30 km offshore. This decision was made after seawater samples collected from the ocean surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi NPS were found to contain radioactive nuclides above legal standards.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/updates/march-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

Friday, March 25, 2011
CNSC Update - 3:20 p.m. EDT: The government of Japan is advising residents to voluntarily evacuate areas within 20 to 30 kilometers of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, in view of the severe living conditions in the zone.

There are plans to switch from seawater to fresh water to cool the crippled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Salt in the water could lead to a number of issues, including corrosion of the reactors' interiors. To help with these efforts, the US is shipping fresh water due to arrive in three days.

After the residual heat removal system pump on Unit 5 failed yesterday, repairs to the pump were completed. Cooling has resumed with fresh water.
As work to restore full electrical power to the Fukushima

Daiichi nuclear power station (NPS) continues; power was restored to the control room of Unit 1 and the common spent fuel pool yesterday. At 6:40 p.m. JST water temperature of the common spent fuel pool was around 73 degrees C. TEPCO employees have not yet regained full control of the cooling systems for Units 1?4.

Japan?s nuclear safety agency says it is highly likely that Unit 3 of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has been damaged, leading to the leak of high levels of radiation materials. The level of radioactivity was about 10,000 times higher than the water inside a normally operating nuclear reactor.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), in collaboration with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Health Canada, is implementing enhanced import controls on milk products, fruits, and vegetables from areas of Japan affected by the ongoing nuclear crisis. Given the evolving nature of the Japanese situation, these measures will be adjusted, as warranted, to ensure the Canadian food supply remains protected.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/updates/march-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

Monday, March 28, 2011
CNSC Update - 12:15 p.m. EDT: At 07:24 JST on March 27, a magnitude-6.5 earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, closest to the Onagawa nuclear power station (NPS). The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) notes that Onagawa units are in cold shutdown and there are no abnormal radiation readings on site. There are no reports of additional damage to Fukushima Daiichi, Fukushima Dai-ini or Tokai nuclear power stations.

Accident response continues at the Fukushima Daiichi NPS. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) personnel and other responders are working to maintain continuous cooling to the reactors and spent fuel storage pools, in order to prevent radioactive material releases from worsening. On-site fresh water supply was decreasing, but two US Navy barges carrying some two million litres of water are on site and have been connected to water pumps.

Cooling operations continue for reactor pressure vessels in Units 1 to 3 and the spent fuel storage pools in Units 1 to 4. Reactor pressure and temperature in Unit 1 continues to slowly increase. The temperature in the spent fuel storage pool of Unit 2 has decreased significantly in the past 24 hours.

TEPCO is working on a way to remove contaminated water from the turbine buildings of Units 1 to 4, which house some components critical for cooling operations. For Unit 1, workers are pumping this water into the condenser. However, it is reported that this method will not work for Units 2, 3 and 4. The IAEA advises that the condenser at Unit 2 is ?full? and there is no information on Units 3 and 4.

TEPCO has apologized for the ?miscalculation? on the analysis of contaminated water in Unit 2 yesterday, saying a new test found radiation levels 100,000 times higher than normal. (TEPCO had originally reported this number at 10 million times higher.)

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the contaminated water in Unit 2 was due to a partial meltdown of the reactor core. Calling it ?very unfortunate?, Edano said the spike in radiation appeared limited to Unit 2. Meanwhile, dose rate measurements around the Fukushima Dai-ichi site outside the reactor and turbine buildings continue to decrease.

After new readings detected iodine-131 above the normal level offshore at the North end of the site, the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) said radioactive water from the NPS might be leaking directly into the ocean. Latest data from 30 kilometres offshore show that concentrations of iodine-131 and caesium-137 are decreasing.

There is no new information on iodine-131 in prefectures near Fukushima Daiichi NPS, nor is there any new information on drinking water sampling in past 24 hours. IAEA reports on soil sampling around Fukushima Daiichi show that the highest concentrations of iodine-131 and caesium-137 are northwest of the site.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, March 29, 2011
CNSC Update - 3:15 p.m. EDT: On March 28th, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reported on the results of on-site soil sampling, which show small amounts of plutonium likely resulting from the Fukushima accident. The discovery of heavy elements such as plutonium is notable as evidence that not just radioactive gases or soluble isotopes have been vented from containment or escaped the spent fuel storage pools. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports the quantity of plutonium found does not exceed background levels tracked by Japan?s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology over the past 30 years.

The continuing rise in temperature and pressure within the Unit 1 reactor vessel and primary containment is of some concern. TEPCO increased the flow of freshwater to the reactor pressure vessel, which lowered the temperature some. TEPCO also reports that radiation levels inside unit 1 primary containment drywell are on the rise.

These developments suggest that venting will be needed at some point. Experts believe that Unit 1?s normal venting pathway, via the stack and through filters, is likely useable. Venting should be controllable, in that TEPCO and the Japanese Self-Defense Force on-scene commanders can choose to vent when meteorological conditions are most favourable.

Actions to restore normal cooling operations to Fukushima Daiichi Units 1-3 reactors and the spent fuel storage pools in Units 1-4 are ongoing. An immediate challenge is contaminated water in the basements of turbine buildings and trenches of Units 1-4. TEPCO uses these areas to run electrical and instrumentation cabling to equipment in the reactor building. Workers need to pump out the water already there and establish a method to continuously remove water until electrical work is completed and pumps and other equipment in the reactor building are repaired.

The trenches in question lead from the reactor buildings toward the sea carrying pipes and electrical cables to the turbine buildings and end 50 to 75 metres from the water. TEPCO has taken measures to ensure that the water in them does not discharge into the sea. As reported yesterday, TEPCO is pumping the water out of Unit 1?s turbine building and trench into the reactor?s condenser and is looking at where to store the contaminated water in the other three units.

The IAEA is reporting on additional environmental monitoring, including the first analyses of marine organisms for radioactivity. Results in this area are encouraging − only anchovy from Chiba prefecture showed any caesium-137. This was barely detectable and over one hundred times below the regulatory limit for consumption.

Noting that the Fukushima crisis has confronted the IAEA and the international community with a major challenge, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said that it was "vitally important that we learn the right lessons from what happened on March 11, and afterwards, in order to strengthen nuclear safety throughout the world". Amano announced a high-level IAEA conference on Nuclear Safety to be held in Vienna before the summer.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/...h-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm#TuesdayMarch29
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

Wednesday, March 30, 2011
CNSC Update - 2:50 p.m. EDT: There have been no significant developments at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station (NPS) site in the past 24 hours.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) remains concerned about the highly contaminated water in the basements of the turbine buildings in Units 1, 2 and 3. The need to remove this water is causing considerable and potentially worrisome delays in re-establishing cooling system operation for reactors in the units.

There are questions as to whether the reactor vessel integrity can be maintained in Units 2 and 3 at this point. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reports that Unit 1 reactor vessel and primary containment pressures have decreased in the past 24 hours.

Japan Self-Defense Force on-scene commanders report that the current plan is to pump contaminated basement water to available hot wells and other tanks on the site, while longer-term temporary storage solutions are identified and secured.

The first external radiation protection and dosimetry specialist, from Atomic Energy of Canada Limited?s Chalk River Laboratory, has joined the IAEA's Fukushima Accident Coordination Team (FACT) radiation protection subgroup.

Other experts, initially from the UK and possibly also France, are due to join the FACT later this week. Vladimir Khotylev, a reactor physics specialist from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, also joins the FACT today.

As part of efforts to prevent a recurrence of the ongoing nuclear crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi NPS, Japan?s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) has ordered Japanese utility companies to take measures within a month to prepare for a possible loss of power at their nuclear reactors if they are hit by unexpectedly large tsunami waves. NISA has instructed utilities to secure vehicle-mounted power sources, deploy fire trucks to supply water to reactors, develop a procedure on how to deal with an emergency situation by using such vehicles, and conduct drills.

TEPCO has conceded that it will scrap the four crippled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station site, as the country struggles to bring the nuclear crisis under control weeks after a powerful earthquake and tsunami. ''We have no choice but to scrap reactors 1 to 4 if we look at their conditions objectively,'' said Tsunehisa Katsumata, the company's chairman, at a news conference. The company said it will try hard to remain afloat and avoid nationalization even though the cost of compensation in connection with the nuclear disaster will be daunting and will undermine TEPCO financially.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/...11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm#WednesdayMarch30
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

Thursday, March 31, 2011
CNSC Update - 2:10 p.m. EDT: The situation the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station (NPS) remains quite serious. The major impediment to re-establishing full reactor cooling in Units 1-3 and the spent fuel storage pool cooling in Units 1-4 is the contaminated water in the basements of the turbine buildings and the trenches.

The Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency reports progress in pumping out the water at Unit 1 but notes that the condenser is now full. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) is working to identify alternate water storage locations.

In its March 30th technical briefing, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicated yesterday that there is "severe core damage" in Unit 2 reactor.

Reports of a fire at Fukushima Daini NPS site have not been confirmed.

Media outlets reporting that IAEA has told Japan to widen its evacuation zone, appear to have misinterpreted IAEA Deputy Director General (Nuclear Safety & Security), Denis Flory?s statement about higher contamination and radiation dose rate values found in a relatively small area around Iitate village (Fukushima prefecture), 40 kilometres northwest from the NPP. DDG Flory said, "... first assessment indicates that one of the IAEA operational criteria for evacuation is exceeded in Iitate village. We advised (Japan) to carefully assess the situation. They indicated that they are already assessing."

IAEA Director General Amano announced yesterday that the IAEA Secretariat will undertake an "assessment mission" to Japan as soon as the Agency can access the Fukushima Daiichi site. This would be followed by multiple missions over a longer term, which will include an element of peer review.

Japan and France have agreed to cooperate in crafting new international nuclear safety standards by the end of this year. The agreement was reached during talks in Tokyo between Prime Minister Naoto Kan and French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The two leaders told a joint news conference after their meeting that nuclear issues will top the agenda at the Group of Eight summit in late May, when leaders also from Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United States gather in northwestern France.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/mediacentre/updates/march-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

Friday, April 1, 2011
CNSC Update - 2:45 p.m. EDT: Fresh water injection into reactor vessels and spraying of spent fuel storage pools in Units 1-4 at Fukushima Daiichi is ongoing. The already large volume of contaminated water on-site is increasing as a result of this activity.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) workers continue their efforts to pump contaminated water out of the turbine buildings and tunnels into available storage tanks. TEPCO is assessing a variety of options for the longer term storage of this water.

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has reprimanded TEPCO over its failure to ensure the safety of workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, particularly due to shortages of radiation monitors or dosimeters.

General Ryoichi Oriki, Chief of Staff of the Japanese Self-Defense Force Joint Staff Office, has announced that 140 members of the U.S. Marine Corps' emergency nuclear response unit are being deployed to Japan. The Chemical Biological Incident Response Force will not begin operations immediately but will prepare for contingencies at TEPCO's troubled nuclear power station in Fukushima Prefecture.

Using data from Canadian instruments deployed in Tokyo and then Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) monitoring network in Japan, a Canadian Radiation specialist working with the IAEA Fukushima Accident Coordination team was able to calculate an average dose to the Tokyo public from the Fukushima accident to date of a less than 75 microSievert. This should be compared to the 1000 microSievert annual dose limit for the public from man-made sources.

NOTE:
This will be the last CNSC daily Information Update to be issued on the nuclear situation in Japan. The CNSC will issue information updates as noteworthy developments occur.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/...ch-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm#MondayMarch14
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

Saturday, April 2, 2011

CNSC Update - 4:45 p.m. EDT: The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) is reporting that it has detected water containing radiation dose over 1,000 mSv/h in the pit where supply cables are stored near the intake channel of Unit 2.

Based on recent preliminary reports, TEPCO has identified an 8 inch crack in the containment pit of Unit 2 as a potential pathway from the reactor site to the ocean and is preparing to pour concrete into the containment pit of Unit 2 in an effort to seal the crack. It is thought similar cracks may exist, and efforts are continuing to find and subsequently seal them.

Efforts by TEPCO to cool the reactors and spent fuel storage pools in Fukushima Daiichi Units 1-4 continue with freshwater injection to the reactors and spraying of water onto the pools in those units.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission continues to closely monitor the situation in Japan in close collaboration with other federal government department and agencies, international colleagues and the International Atomic Energy Agency. We will post additional updates as noteworthy developments occur.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/...h-11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm#SaturdayApril2
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

Wednesday, April 13, 2011
CNSC Update ? 2:15 p.m. EDT: Overall, the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station (NPS) remains very serious, but there are early signs of recovery of some functions, such as electrical power and instrumentation to the affected reactor control rooms.

Japan continues to experience numerous aftershocks from the March 11, 2011 magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami that damaged the Fukushima Daiichi NPS. To date, none of these aftershocks, some of which have had a magnitude of over 6.6, have had a significant impact on ongoing recovery efforts at the Daiichi site.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) was successful in halting a leak of radioactive water from Unit 2 into the sea though the use of ?liquid glass?.

Also noteworthy is the expansion of the evacuation zone around the affected NPS from 20 to 30 kilometres, as is the successful use of an anti-scattering agent used to prevent radioactive materials on the ground from being dispersed by the on-site activities.

On April 12, NISA announced that the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant had been reclassified upwards from 5 to 7 according to the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (INES). While there has been some media comparison to the Chernobyl event, which had been put at the same level, this comparison should be viewed with extreme caution. Japanese authorities confirmed that this is a backward-looking assessment based on better estimates of the amount of radioactive contamination released in the early days of the crisis, and that it does not indicate a more pessimistic forecast for the future situation.

Environmental radioactivity levels continue to remain very low outside the immediate vicinity of the nuclear power plant.

Japanese authorities also noted that the total amount of contamination released from Fukushima Daiichi is still only one-tenth that of Chernobyl.

The new INES rating is not an indication of risk or threat but rather an assessment of the severity of the original event based on analysis of existing data.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/...11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm#WednesdayApril13
 
Re: Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission information update regarding the earthquake in Japan

Wednesday, April 20, 2011
CNSC Update ? 1:30 p.m. EDT: On April 17th, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) put forward its ?Roadmap towards Restoration from the Accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS)" for cooling down the damaged reactors and significantly reducing radiation leaks at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station. The roadmap outlines 63 measures to be taken in two steps over a period of six to nine months to complete the stabilization of the Fukushima Daiichi site.

TEPCO estimates that approximately 67,500 tons of radioactive water has accumulated at the Daiichi NPS. This is expected to increase as more water is being injected into the reactors to maintain cooling.

Some 25,000 tons of highly contaminated water has accumulated in the basement of the turbine building and a tunnel connected to the No. 2 reactor. In advance of transferring highly radioactive water out of Unit 2, TEPCO has sealed cracks in the sea walls of the facility and put other measures in place to prevent contaminated water from leaking into the ocean. Once the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (NISA) approved the procedures and safety measures, TEPCO began the work on April 19th. TEPCO estimates it will take about 26 days to move 10,000 tons to the waste facility near the No. 4 reactor.

On Monday, TEPCO announced that remote controlled robots had detected high levels of radiation inside the reactor buildings of Units 1, 2 and 3. The utility used US-made robots on Sunday and Monday to take radiation readings and photographs inside the reactor buildings. This is the first data from inside the buildings since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. TEPCO hopes to identify areas for decontamination so it can move ahead with its schedule to bring the NPS under stable control.

TEPCO has also announced that it will begin spraying a polymer emulsion on top of the debris at the Fukushima Daiichi site next Tuesday as part of its efforts to halt the spread of airborne radiation. The company has been testing the emulsion at the site since April 1st. The emulsion hardens the debris and will help to keep radiation levels relatively low. TEPCO hopes to complete spraying of the entire NPS site by the end of June. At that time, the company plans to cover the reactor buildings with large filter curtains to prevent the further spread of radioactive materials.

http://www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/eng/...11-2011-japan-earthquake.cfm#WednesdayApril20
 
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