NRC sees no radiation at harmful levels reaching U.S. from damaged japanese nuclear power plants - Experts sent to assist Japan

[Pathfinder]

<TABLE dir=ltr border=1 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=7 width=725><TBODY><TR><TD height=10 vAlign=top width="50%">No. 11-046



</TD><TD height=10 vAlign=top width="50%">March 13, 2011 </B>



</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></B>

NRC SEES NO RADIATION AT HARMFUL LEVELS REACHING U.S.
FROM DAMAGED JAPANESE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is coordinating with the Department of Energy and other federal agencies in providing whatever assistance the Japanese government requests as they respond to conditions at several nuclear power plant sites following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. The NRC has sent two boiling-water reactor experts to Japan as part of a U.S. Agency for International Development team. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]In response to nuclear emergencies, the NRC works with other U.S. agencies to monitor radioactive releases and predict their path. All the available information indicates weather conditions have taken the small releases from the Fukushima reactors out to sea away from the population. Given the thousands of miles between the two countries, Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. Territories and the U.S. West Coast are not expected to experience any harmful levels of radioactivity. [/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]During a nuclear event the NRC has requirements to protect populations around reactors. For instance, the U.S. evacuation standard at 10 miles is roughly equivalent to the 20-kilometer distance recommended in some instances in Japan. The United States also uses sheltering in place and potassium iodide, protective measures also available in Japan. [/FONT]


[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]The NRC will not comment on hour-to-hour developments at the Japanese reactors. This is an ongoing crisis for the Japanese who have primary responsibility. [/FONT]

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2011/11-046.pdf

http://www.nrc.gov/
[/FONT]

 

[Pathfinder]

NRC sees no radiation at harmful levels reaching U.S. from damaged japanese nuclear power plants - Experts sent to assist Japan

No. 11-047
March 14, 2011

JAPANESE GOVERNMENT ASKS FOR ASSISTANCE WITH REACTOR EVENTS;
U.S. GOVERNMENT AND NRC PREPARING RESPONSE

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]The Japanese government has formally asked for assistance from the United States as it continues to respond to nuclear power plant cooling issues triggered by an earthquake and tsunami on March 11. As part of a larger U.S. government response, the NRC is considering possible replies to the request, which includes providing technical advice. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]Included in a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) team dispatched earlier to Japan to assist with the disaster are two boiling-water reactor (BWR) experts from the NRC. They are currently in Tokyo offering technical assistance. USAID is the federal government agency primarily responsible for providing help to countries recovering from a disaster. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]The NRC has been monitoring the Japanese reactor events via its Headquarters Operations Center in Rockville, Md., on a 24-hour-a-day basis. [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]The NRC will not comment on hour-to-hour developments at the Japanese reactors. This is an ongoing crisis for the Japanese who have primary responsibility.[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2011/11-047.pdf[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]----------------------------------------------------------[/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]No. 11-048
March 14, 2011

[FONT=TimesNewRoman,Bold]NRC SENDS ADDITIONAL EXPERTS TO ASSIST JAPAN[/FONT]​

Acting as part of a U.S. Agency for International Development assistance team, the NRC
has dispatched eight additional experts to Tokyo to provide assistance as requested by the
Japanese government.
The first members of the team left the United States Monday evening and were due to
arrive in Tokyo Wednesday afternoon. The team includes additional reactor experts,
international affairs professional staffers, and a senior manager from one of the NRC’s four
operating regions.
The team members come from the NRC’s headquarters in Rockville, Md., and from
offices in King of Prussia, Pa., and Atlanta. The team has been instructed to: conduct all
activities needed to understand the status of efforts to safely shut down the Japanese reactors;
better understand the potential impact on people and the environment of any radioactivity
releases; if asked, provide technical advice and support through the U.S. ambassador for the
Japanese government’s decision making process; and draw on NRC-headquarters expertise for
any other additional technical requirements. The team will be in communication with the
Japanese regulator, the U.S. Embassy, NRC headquarters, and other government stakeholders as
appropriate.
The team is led by Charles A. Casto, deputy regional administrator of the NRC’s Center
of Construction Inspection, based in NRC’s office in Atlanta. Casto has worked in the
commercial nuclear power industry at three different nuclear power plants, including Browns
Ferry, which has three boiling water reactors, operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority in
Alabama. He has also worked as a licensed reactor operator and operator instructor. Casto will
provide a single point of contact for the U.S. Ambassador in Japan on nuclear reactor issues.
The two reactor experts sent Saturday to Japan will participate as members of this assistance​

team.

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/news/2011/11-048.pdf
[/FONT][/FONT]