Fukushima I was the first nuclear plant to be designed, constructed and run in conjunction with General Electric, Boise, and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)

by Tom Dennen

 This whole story, has been “downplayed” right from the beginning it appears largely because of the General Electric connection between the Fukushima plant and the 23 “similar” plants in the U.S. with most news concentrating on the amount of nuclear ‘waste’ (not fallout as it was not an aerial nuclear explosion but a ground ‘meltdown’).

   While there were similar designs in the original construction of 23 plants in the U.S., modifications and upgrades for safety considerations have been made to U.S. plants based upon industry experience and strengthened regulations – but not the vents, which crashed at Fukushima.

One of the key differences is in design changes to control a hydrogen buildup in the containment units – the likely cause of the explosions at Fukushima.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, (NRC) the federal watchdog of the industry has since required plants to have additional equipment and procedures in place to avert or lessen any possible damage that could come from an explosion or large fires, but this has not been done.

This is the “downplay on the U.S. Side as American nuclear power plants have not upgraded the ventilation systems at 31 reactors with designs similar to those that melted down two years ago in Japan, under a Nuclear Regulatory Commission order that stops short of requiring filtered vents, as some safety advocates and NRC’s staff had urged.

The filters are required in Japan and much of Europe, but U.S. utilities say they are unnecessary and expensive at between $16m and $40 per plant.

 

Example of “Nuclear Waste” story by Lance Devon

“Breaking news from Tokyo, Japan confirms that levels of cancer-causing cesium-134 are showing up in groundwater samples at rates 90- 110 times higher than all previous readings at the Fukushima disaster zone. The announcements are coming from the Tokyo Electric Power company (TEPCO) who has been monitoring the battered Fukushima nuclear power plant. Scientists believe it could take up to forty years to clean up the nuclear waste. The new high level readings of cesium-134 may mean that the destruction has just begun and that the Pacific ocean is set to become “the ultimate sponge” for this nuclear disaster.

“Tokyo Power Plant downplaying the new high levels of nuclear radioactive waste even though the high caesium readings are coming from groundwater nearby the battered Fukushima plant, the Tokyo Electric Power company is refusing to comment on the origins of the high cesium-134 levels and this has many up in arms, criticizing TEPCO.

“A Japan nuclear watchdog, the Nuclear Regulation Authority, has condemned the Tokyo Electric Power company for not coming out and warning the public of the origins of the high caesium levels.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said in its review, “It is strongly suspected that highly concentrated contaminated waste water has leaked to the ground and has spread to the sea.”
TEPCO is underplaying the new findings, as they fail to identify the origins and destination of the toxic groundwater. The Nuclear Authority believes the toxic groundwater is directly flowing into the Pacific Ocean and are calling for further investigation. Urging for a detailed explanation from TEPCO, they are tired of the disaster being downplayed. Regardless, TEPCO says the contaminated groundwater is likely to be contained in its current location by concrete foundations and steel sheets. This idea seems strange, due to groundwater’s pervasive downstream flowing ability, directly into the Pacific Ocean. As the emergency of the situation continues to be disregarded, many are wondering what’s going on behind closed doors as the ordeal becomes hush-hush.”

General Electric who? Of course your news is not ‘manipulated’…

Recent groundwater tests show other high levels of toxic waste overflow

MORE HERE