#nuclearpowerplants — Public Fediverse posts

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026/02/tuesday-february-10-2026/

Monday, February 9, 2026

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026/02/monday-february-9-2026/

Friday, October 3, 2025

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2025/10/friday-october-3-2025/

Experts warn #Trump’s #nuclear blitz could trigger ‘Next #ThreeMileIsland'

by Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams
May 24, 2025

"U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed a series of executive orders that will overhaul the independent federal agency that regulates the nation's nuclear power plants in order to speed the construction of new fissile reactors—a move that experts warned will increase safety risks.

"According to a White House statement, Trump's directives 'will usher in a nuclear energy renaissance,' in part by allowing Department of Energy laboratories to conduct nuclear reactor design testing, green-lighting reactor construction on federal lands, and lifting #RegulatoryBarriers 'by requiring the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (#NRC) to issue timely licensing decisions."

"The Trump administration is seeking to shorten the yearslong NRC process of approving new licenses for nuclear power plants and reactors to within 18 months.

"White House Office of Science and Technology Director Michael Kratsios said Friday that 'over the last 30 years, we stopped building nuclear reactors in America—that ends now.'

" 'We are restoring a strong American nuclear industrial base, rebuilding a secure and sovereign domestic nuclear fuel supply chain, and leading the world towards a future fueled by American nuclear energy,' he added. [And radioactive waste!!!]

"However, the Union of Concerned Scientists (#UCS) warned that the executive orders will result in 'all but nullifying' the NRC's regulatory process, 'undermining the independent federal agency's ability to develop and enforce #safety and #security requirements for commercial nuclear facilities.'

" 'This push by the Trump administration to usurp much of the agency's autonomy as they seek to fast-track the construction of nuclear plants will weaken critical, independent #oversight of the U.S. nuclear industry and poses significant safety and security risks to the public,' UCS added.

"#EdwinLyman, director of nuclear power safety at the UCS, said, 'Simply put, the U.S. nuclear industry will fail if safety is not made a priority.'

" 'By fatally compromising the independence and integrity of the NRC, and by encouraging pathways for nuclear deployment that bypass the regulator entirely, the Trump administration is virtually guaranteeing that this country will see a serious accident or other #radiological release that will affect the health, safety, and livelihoods of millions,' Lyman added. 'Such a disaster will destroy public trust in #NuclearPower and cause other nations to reject U.S. #nuclear technology for decades to come.'

"Friday's executive orders follow reporting earlier this month by NPR that revealed the Trump administration has tightened control over the NRC, in part by compelling the agency to send proposed reactor safety rules to the White House for review and possible editing.

"#AllisonMacfarlane, who was nominated to head the NRC during the Obama administration, called the move 'the end of independence of the agency.'

" 'If you aren't independent of political and industry influence, then you are at risk of an accident,' Macfarlane warned.

"On the first day of his second term, Trump also signed executive orders declaring a dubious 'national energy emergency' and directing federal agencies to find ways to reduce regulatory roadblocks to 'unleashing American energy, including by boosting #FossilFuels and nuclear power.

"The rapid advancement and adoption of artificial intelligence systems is creating a tremendous need for energy that proponents say can be met by nuclear power. The Three Mile Island nuclear plant—the site of the worst nuclear accident in U.S. history—is being revived with funding from #Microsoft, while #Google parent company #Alphabet, online retail giant #Amazon, and #Facebook owner #Meta are among the competitors also investing in nuclear energy.

" 'Do we really want to create more #RadioactiveWaste to power the often dubious and questionable uses of #AI?' #JohannaNeumann, Environment America Research & Policy Center's senior director of the Campaign for 100% #RenewableEnergy, asked in December.

" '#BigTech should recommit to solutions that not only work but pose less risk to our #environment and #health,' Neumann added."

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-nuclear-2672196220/

#RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #BigTech #EnvironmentalRacism #UraniumMining #NuclearWaste #TEPCOLies #TrumpLies
#HoltecLies #WaterIsLife #NuclearPowerPlants #Datacenters #AIPollution #MicrosoftSucks #TrumpSucks #NuclearIsNotCarbonFree #CancerRates #Downwinders #NuclearPowerCorruptionAndLies

Oh yeah. Fast-tracking a #NuclearPlant restart is such a good idea...NOT!

#ThreeMileIsland nuclear plant reboot fast-tracked to 2027

By Laila Kearney
June 25, 2025

Excerpt: "Despite the enthusiasm, nuclear power plant projects have historically been far over budget [leaving taxpayers on the hook] and behind schedule [which is why nuclear plant companies often fabricate and lie about details. They milk it for all it's worth!]

"No fully shut nuclear power plant has been restarted, but at least one other attempted restart - of the #PalisadesNuclearPlant in #Michigan - is under way.

"As the technology industry drives U.S. electricity demand to record highs, nuclear power has broadly seen a resurgence of interest after decades in decline. New York plans to build a new nuclear power plant, which would be one of the first to be constructed in a generation."

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/shut-three-mile-island-nuclear-plant-may-restart-2027-owner-says-2025-06-25/

#RethinkNotRestart #NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #BigTech #NuclearWaste #RethinkNotRestart #NuclearIsNotCarbonFree #Pennsylvania #CancerRates #TEPCOLies #HoltecLies #WaterIsLife #NuclearPowerPlants #Datacenters #AIPollution #MicrosoftSucks

#RedWing Police Respond After #NuclearPowerPlant Reports #Drones

Andy Brownell
Published: January 9, 2025

#RedWingMinnesota (KROC-AM News) - "A southeastern Minnesota law enforcement agency is reporting an encounter with mysterious drones.

"A news release issued Thursday afternoon by the Red Wing Police Department indicates Goodhue County Sheriff's Office dispatchers received a report around 6:30 PM Wednesday from the #PrairieIslandNuclearPowerPlant. The report indicated four to five drones had been seen flying around the area of the #XcelEnergy facility.

"The news release says Red Wing Police and officers from the #PrairieIsland #TribalPolice Department responded to the report and observed two drones flying around the power plant and the nearby Lock and #Dam3 on the #MississippiRiver. It states that the officers monitored the drones until they were no longer seen in the area."

https://krocnews.com/red-wing-police-respond-after-nuclear-power-plant-reports-drones/
#RethinkNotRestart #NuclearPlants #NuclearPowerPlants #SecurityRisk

#RedWing Police Respond After #NuclearPowerPlant Reports #Drones

Andy Brownell
Published: January 9, 2025

#RedWingMinnesota (KROC-AM News) - "A southeastern Minnesota law enforcement agency is reporting an encounter with mysterious drones.

"A news release issued Thursday afternoon by the Red Wing Police Department indicates Goodhue County Sheriff's Office dispatchers received a report around 6:30 PM Wednesday from the #PrairieIslandNuclearPowerPlant. The report indicated four to five drones had been seen flying around the area of the #XcelEnergy facility.

"The news release says Red Wing Police and officers from the #PrairieIsland #TribalPolice Department responded to the report and observed two drones flying around the power plant and the nearby Lock and #Dam3 on the #MississippiRiver. It states that the officers monitored the drones until they were no longer seen in the area."

https://krocnews.com/red-wing-police-respond-after-nuclear-power-plant-reports-drones/
#RethinkNotRestart #NuclearPlants #NuclearPowerPlants #SecurityRisk

#RedWing Police Respond After #NuclearPowerPlant Reports #Drones

Andy Brownell
Published: January 9, 2025

#RedWingMinnesota (KROC-AM News) - "A southeastern Minnesota law enforcement agency is reporting an encounter with mysterious drones.

"A news release issued Thursday afternoon by the Red Wing Police Department indicates Goodhue County Sheriff's Office dispatchers received a report around 6:30 PM Wednesday from the #PrairieIslandNuclearPowerPlant. The report indicated four to five drones had been seen flying around the area of the #XcelEnergy facility.

"The news release says Red Wing Police and officers from the #PrairieIsland #TribalPolice Department responded to the report and observed two drones flying around the power plant and the nearby Lock and #Dam3 on the #MississippiRiver. It states that the officers monitored the drones until they were no longer seen in the area."

https://krocnews.com/red-wing-police-respond-after-nuclear-power-plant-reports-drones/
#RethinkNotRestart #NuclearPlants #NuclearPowerPlants #SecurityRisk

#RedWing Police Respond After #NuclearPowerPlant Reports #Drones

Andy Brownell
Published: January 9, 2025

#RedWingMinnesota (KROC-AM News) - "A southeastern Minnesota law enforcement agency is reporting an encounter with mysterious drones.

"A news release issued Thursday afternoon by the Red Wing Police Department indicates Goodhue County Sheriff's Office dispatchers received a report around 6:30 PM Wednesday from the #PrairieIslandNuclearPowerPlant. The report indicated four to five drones had been seen flying around the area of the #XcelEnergy facility.

"The news release says Red Wing Police and officers from the #PrairieIsland #TribalPolice Department responded to the report and observed two drones flying around the power plant and the nearby Lock and #Dam3 on the #MississippiRiver. It states that the officers monitored the drones until they were no longer seen in the area."

https://krocnews.com/red-wing-police-respond-after-nuclear-power-plant-reports-drones/
#RethinkNotRestart #NuclearPlants #NuclearPowerPlants #SecurityRisk

A tale of two #NuclearPowerPlants along #LakeMichigan: Extended life and a revival?

WUWM 89.7 FM | By Chuck Quirmbach
Published January 10, 2025

"This year could be a big year for the status of two nuclear power plants around Lake Michigan.

"That includes a shutdown plant just 120 miles east of Kenosha that is seeking a first-of-its-kind restart.

"The year could also be significant for extending the life of #Wisconsin's only working commercial plant, located 95 miles north of #Milwaukee.

"On the west shore of Lake Michigan, #NextEraEnergy says it still wants a 20-year extension for the two reactors at the #PointBeachNuclearPowerPlant, located north of #TwoRivers, which would keep the site operating until the early 2050s.

"If that plan sounds familiar, it’s because #WUWM has been reporting on the proposal for about four years. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (#NRC) approval is still pending.

"In a written statement this month, Florida-based #NextEra said it has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Point Beach, 'ensuring it’s ready to produce energy for decades to come.' The company says the plant powers nearly 1 million homes and businesses and provides about 14% of Wisconsin’s electricity.

"But nuclear power critics, like #KevinKamps of #BeyondNuclear, say there are concerns that key parts of the power production units are too #brittle to last another 20-plus years. He says there’s an alternative.

"'Point Beach’s electricity could easily be replaced through the expansion of #RenewableEnergy in Wisconsin. It’s ready to go. It would be more effective for the people of Wisconsin. It would certainly be much safer,' Kamps says.

"On the east shore of the lake, the #PalisadesNuclearPlant in #CovertTownship, Michigan, shut down nearly three years ago. But at the urging of some federal, state, and local officials, the Biden administration has provided a $1.5 billion loan to Holtec International, which bought the mothballed plant from the utility Entergy, so Holtec can try to restart Palisades.

[...]

"A key concern appears to be the damaged steam generator tubes at Palisades, which are likely to need repair or replacement. On Jan. 14, Holtec and the NRC are scheduled to discuss the matter.

"The NRC says Holtec will have to prove the plant is safe.

"Incoming President Donald Trump has made conflicting statements about nuclear power, so it’s unclear if he will try to get the NRC to favor either of the Lake Michigan plants."

https://www.wuwm.com/environment/2025-01-10/a-tale-of-two-nuclear-power-plants-along-lake-michigan-extended-life-and-a-revival
#NoNukes #NoNukesForAI #RethinkNotRestart #HoltecLies #RenewablesNow #WaterIsLife #AgingNuclearPlants #NuclearSafety #NuclearWaste #NuclearIsNotCarbonFree

Risky Revival: How #Michigan’s #Palisades #NuclearPlant could impact agriculture

While state leaders champion the Palisades reopening as an energy solution, local farmers remain divided over the potential threats to their land and water.

by S. Nicole Lane, for Investigate Midwest December 10, 2024

COVERT, Michigan — "The Palisades Nuclear Generating Station, long synonymous with safety lapses and regulatory oversight, is poised for an unprecedented comeback under Michigan Gov. #GretchenWhitmer’s plan to reopen the shuttered plant by 2025 — the first attempt of its kind in U.S. history.

"However, in this robust agricultural region, there are fears about how reopening a problematic plant could impact area farmers and the food they produce.

"Approximately 6,362 farms are within 50 miles of Palisades. In Van Buren County alone, where the plant is located, there are 838 farms. Michigan’s southwestern corner, home to 80% of the state’s farms, is often called the 'blueberry capital of the world.'

"'A leak (and) this 150-year-old farm is done,' said Bill Adams, who runs Adams Blueberry Farms in Hartford, Michigan, 16 miles south of the plant. 'Why would they restart something that old and sitting this long?'

"Opened in 1971, Palisades, which is located along #LakeMichigan, once generated 5% of Michigan’s electricity, enough to power 800,000 homes. But a litany of mechanical issues plagued its operations for decades.

"In 2013, the plant leaked 79 gallons of diluted #RadioactiveWater into Lake Michigan, forcing a five-week shutdown — its ninth closure in just two years.

"Federal regulators repeatedly flagged the plant for safety concerns, from undetected #RadiationExposure among employees in 2008 to persistent cracks in its 300,000-gallon storage tank that leaked for over a decade. In 2012, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) described Palisades as having some of the worst cases of nuclear fuel container weakening in the nation.

"The plant was permanently shut down on May 31, 2022, with its owners citing financial and safety concerns. But just months later, Whitmer announced a plan to revive Palisades, reigniting debates over the risks and benefits of #NuclearEnergy in a state still grappling with its troubled legacy.

"Typically, after 40 years, a nuclear power plant is closed and undergoes a complex decommissioning process that can take up to 30 years to complete. Globally, the only plants that have reopened are in Japan.

"#Holtec Decommissioning International bought Palisades in 2022 with the goal of dismantling it. Now, with Whitmer’s support, they have since decided to reopen the plant, something Holtec has never done.

"Neither Holtec nor Whitmer’s office responded to multiple requests for comment. "

Read more:
https://investigatemidwest.org/2024/12/10/risky-revival-how-michigans-palisades-nuclear-plant-could-impact-agriculture/

#NoNukes #WaterIsLife #LandIsLife #RethinkNotRestart #RenewablesNow #Holtec #HoltecLies #USPol #NuclearPowerCorruptionAndLies #NuclearPowerPlants

This story is from 2017. But how many #CriticalInfrastructure systems and #NuclearPowerPlants still use outdated software that's vulnerable to #Malware attacks!

Windows 95, 98 And XP Still Power Much Of The Pentagon’s Critical Infrastructure

by Brittany Goetting — Saturday, April 29, 2017, 05:28 PM EDT

"Microsoft ended support for #WindowsXP in 2014, but the Pentagon currently pays Microsoft to continue providing support for the outdated OS. The majority of the computers equipped with Windows XP or older are thankfully not connected to the internet. The computers are nevertheless vulnerable to cyber attacks, especially if they are connected to other computers with internet access.

"Haegley is currently working on transitioning all the devices to Windows 10 and pushing for an extension of their bug bounty program. Last spring the Department of Defense released a list 138 vulnerabilities and offered roughly $150,000 USD to bug bounty hunters. Haegley hopes that senior staff within the Pentagon will be supportive of the program. He noted, 'The best and brightest could help us get through that'.

"As of last spring, the Department of Defense still uses Compass. This system is a command and control system that is used for deliberate and crisis action planning, strategic mobility analysis, and mobilization and deployment movement execution. It runs on a #Windows2008 Server and is programmed in Java. It also uses a 2009 Oracle 11g database. The United States nuclear force still runs on IBM Series/1 computers and uses #FloppyDisks designed in the 1970's to coordinate some of its functions. These operational functions include intercontinental ballistic missiles [#ICBMs], #nuclear bombers, and tanker support aircraft."

https://hothardware.com/news/windows-95-98-and-xp-still-power-a-majority-of-the-pentagons-critical-systems

#Cyberattack #CyberWarfare #AirGapping #USBStick #NoNukes #NoWar #NoNuclearWeapons

[Thread] The next installment from #KleeBenally 's book, #NoSpiritualSurrender

“The devastation of #NuclearColonialism, which permanently destroys #Indigenous communities throughout the world, is outright ignored by some of the most devout #ClimateJustice advocates. They claim #NuclearEnergy production is also a #GreenSolution to the #ClimateCrisis. More than 15,000 abandoned #UraniumMines are located within the so-called US, mostly in and around Indigenous communities, permanently poisoning #SacredLands and waters with little to no action being taken to clean up their deadly toxic legacy. There are currently 93 operating #NuclearReactors in the so-called US that supply 20% of the country’s electricity. There are 60,000 tons of #HighlyRadioactive spent waste store in concrete dams at #NuclearPowerPlants throughout the country with the waste increasing at a rate of 2,000 tons per year.

“In 1987 the ‘US’ Congress initiated a controversial project to transport and store almost all of the US’s #ToxicWaste at #YuccaMountain located about 100 miles northwest of so-called #LasVegas, #Nevada. Yucca Mountan has been held holy to the #Paiute and #WesternShoshone Nations since time immemorial. In January 2010 the #ObamaAdminstration approved a $54 billion taxpayer loan in a guarantee program for new nuclear reactor construction, three times what Bush previously promised in 2005. In April 2022, the #BidenAdministration government bailout to ‘rescue’ nuclear power plants at risk for closing. A #Colonial government representative stated, ‘US nuclear power contributes more than half of our #CarbonFree electricity, and President Biden is committed to keeping these plants active to reach our #CleanEnergy goals.’

“They, along with Climate Justice activiists, cite nuclear energy as necessary to combat #GlobalWarming, all while ignoring the devastating percent impacts #IndigenousPeoples have faced. There is nothing clean about energy produced from nuclear colonialism. From its weapons (including #DepletedUranium) to its #Mining and its waste; Indigenous bodies, lands, and waters continue to be sacrificed to heat water with radioactive materials which creates steam that moves generators to change batteries made from #Lithium extracted from other Indigenous sacred lands so #Teslas can mo you forward into a ‘just’ climate future.

“A green economy sustains and advances colonial progress, which means mitigated selective and ongoing destruction of #MotherEarth.”

Pages 139-140

#IndigenousAnarchy
#Ecosystem #HaulNo #DefendTheSacred
#CorporateColonialism #NoDAPL #CriminalizingDissent #WaterIsLife #ClimateDefenders #NoCopperMiningWithoutConsent #NoLithiumMining #CorporateColonialism #NoMiningWithoutConsent #LithiumMining #CopperMining #Greenwashng #NuclearWeapons #RestInPowerKleeBenally #RIPKleeBenally #StopCanyonMine

[PDF] National Association of Marine Laboratories
Position Paper

Scientific opposition to Japan’s planned release of over 1.3 million tons of radioactively contaminated water from the #FukushimaDaiIchi #NuclearPowerPlant
disaster into the #PacificOcean.

December 2022

“The National Association of Marine Laboratories (#NAML), an organization of more than
100 member laboratories, opposes Japan’s plans to begin releasing over 1.3 million tons of radioactively contaminated water from the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean commencing in 2023. This opposition is based on the fact that there is a lack of adequate and accurate scientific data supporting Japan’s assertion of safety.

"Furthermore, there is an abundance of data demonstrating serious concerns about releasing radioactively contaminated water.

“The Pacific Ocean is the largest continuous body of water on our planet, containing the greatest biomass of organisms of ecological, economic, and cultural value, including 70 percent of the world’s #fisheries. The health of all the world’s #OceanEcosystems is in documented decline due
to a variety of stressors, including climate change, over-exploitation of resources, and pollution.

"The proposed release of this #contaminated water is a #transboundary and #transgenerational issue of concern for the health of marine ecosystems and those whose lives and livelihoods depend on them. We are concerned about the absence of critical data on the radionuclide content of each tank, the Advanced Liquid Processing System, which is used to remove radionuclides, and the assumption that upon the release of the contaminated wastewater,
‘dilution is the solution to pollution.’

“The underlying rationale of #dilution ignores the reality of biological processes of #OrganicBinding,
#bioaccumulation, and #bioconcentration, as well as accumulation in local seafloor sediments. Many of the radionuclides contained in the accumulated waste cooling water have half-lives ranging from decades to centuries, and their deleterious effects range from #DNADamage and
#cellular stress to elevated #cancer risks in people who eat affected marine organisms, such as clams, oysters, crabs, lobster, shrimp, and fish.

"Additionally, the effectiveness of the Advanced Liquid Processing System in almost completely removing the over 60 different #radionuclides present in the affected wastewater—some of which have an affinity to target specific tissues, glands, organs, and metabolic pathways in #LivingOrganisms, including people—remains a
serious concern due to the absence of critical data.

"The supporting data provided by the Tokyo Electric Power Company and the #JapaneseGovernment are insufficient and, in some cases, incorrect, with flaws in sampling protocols, statistical design, sample analyses, and assumptions, which in turn lead to flaws in the
conclusion of safety and prevent a more thorough evaluation of better alternative approaches to disposal. A full range of approaches to addressing the problem of safely containing, storing, and disposing of the radioactive waste have not been adequately explored, and alternatives to ocean dumping should be examined in greater detail and with extensive scientific rigor.

“NAML calls on the Government of #Japan and International Atomic Energy Agency (#IAEA) scientists to more fully and adequately consider the options recommended by the #PacificIslandsForum’s Expert Panel. We believe public policy decisions, regulations, and actions must keep pace with and make use of relevant advancements in our scientific understanding of the #environment and human health. In this case, we believe policy makers have not fully availed themselves of the available science and should do so before making any final decisions on releasing this contaminated water into the Pacific. NAML members are unified in our concern about use of the oceans as a dumping ground for radioactively contaminated water and other #pollutants because such actions can negatively affect the long-term health and sustainability of
our planet.

“We urge the Government of Japan to stop pursuing their planned and precedent-setting release of the radioactively contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean and to work with the broader scientific community to pursue other approaches [like #ClosedLoop systems or binding radionuclides in concerete] that protect #OceanLife; human health; and
those communities who depend on ecologically, economically, and culturally valuable marine
resources. “

Adopted by the NAML Board of Directors, December 12, 2022

https://www.naml.org/policy/documents/2022-12-12%20Position%20Paper,%20Release%20of%20Radioactively%20Contaminated%20Water%20into%20the%20Ocean.pdf

#WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife
#IAEAHides #TEPCOLies
#FukushimaIsntOver #NoDumping #NuclearPowerPlants #RadioactiveWater #RethinkNotRestart #PacificOcean #DataFalsification #ALPSSystem

August 2023:

Explainer | Why do many scientists oppose #Fukushima #radioactive waste discharge?

The release of treated waste water from the #NuclearPlant has begun, despite concerns from major scientific organisations

IAEA is monitoring the operation but many experts are questioning the amount of data being collected

by Victoria Bela
Published: 2:05pm, 30 Aug 2023

"Japan’s decision to start releasing around 30 years’ worth of treated radioactive waste into the #PacificOcean on #August24 has drawn criticism from some countries, including China, as well as some of the world’s leading scientific organisations.

"The plan to deal with the 1.3 million tonnes of contaminated water accumulated since the #FukushimaDaiichi #NuclearPowerPlant meltdown in 2011 includes removing most of the radioactive chemicals before it is discharged into the ocean.

[...]

"However, the ALPS has been shown to be unsuccessful in filtering out the other 62 radioactive chemicals present in the waste water, according to data from the Japanese ministry for economy, trade and industry (#METI).

"According to METI, around 70 per cent of ALPS-treated water still contained #radioactive substances other than #tritium by the end of 2020, and needed to be #repurified.

"The US-based National Association of Marine Laboratories (#NAML), which represents more than 100 labs, released a position paper in December 2022 [link in comments] that firmly opposed Japan’s plan over 'a lack of adequate and accurate scientific data' about its safety.

"NAML members include some of the world’s most influential marine research institutes, including the #ScrippsInstitution of #Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego."

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3232797/why-do-so-many-scientists-oppose-fukushima-radioactive-waste-discharge

#WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife
#IAEAHides #TEPCOLies
#FukushimaIsntOver
#NoDumping #NuclearPowerPlants #RadioactiveWater #RethinkNotRestart #PacificOcean #DataFalsification #ALPSSystem

From 2007:

"Not Again": Yet Another #TEPCO Scandal

Citizens' Nuclear Information Center

"Over the years there have been all sorts of cases of data fabrication and falsification at #nuclear, thermal and hydroelectric power plants. Each time the power companies and plant makers apologize and say that they will lance the wound, but then they go and repeat the same behavior over and over again. When Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reported yet another case of data falsification to the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry (#METI) the headline in the Fukushima local newspaper the following day (1 February 2007) was 'Not Again!', sigh the local people and the Prefectural government '.

"The latest scandal began when Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported on 31 October 2006 that #Chugoku Electric Power Company had falsified data for #DoyoDam on the #MatanoRiver. People might assume that the reason for #ChugokuElectric's admission was simply that it had made a judgment that the problem could no longer be concealed once it was leaked to the newspaper. However, there was more behind the admission than meets the eye. Even before this, anti-dam activists had been pursuing TEPCO over suspicious data related to its dams. For example, it had recorded flow measurements that could not possibly have been taken, because the locations were inaccessible due to heavy snow falls. Chugoku Electric's admission should be seen against this background.

"METI and the Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport responded by demanding that all electric power companies check their records. The upshot was that it was discovered that Chugoku Electric was not alone. In fact, it became apparent that all power companies had falsified and fabricated data in relation to such things as subsidence of dam embankments, and alterations to facilities without prior approval.

"The next major development came on November 15th, when it was revealed that Chugoku Electric had falsified data in relation to releases of hot wastewater at its #Shimonoseki thermal power plant. This led to similar revelations for nuclear power plants owned by TEPCO, #Kansai Electric Power Company (#KEPCO), Tohoku Electric Power Company and Japan Atomic Power Company (#JAPCO). On 10 January 2007 TEPCO submitted a report to METI entitled 'Causes of and measures to prevent a repetition of falsification of sea temperature data at the condenser outlets of #KashiwazakiKariwa Nuclear Power Plant, Reactors 1 and 4'.

"The report said, 'An investigation of power plants was instigated, because the Shimonoseki thermal power plant case reminded a worker that corrections had been made to sea temperature data.' As a result, falsification (referred to by TEPCO as "corrections") was discovered at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa reactors 1 & 4 and #Fukushima I reactors 1, 4 & 5.

"The hot wastewater referred to here is seawater, which has been used to cool and condense the steam used to drive the turbines of thermal and nuclear power plants. When the steam from the turbine condenses, its heat is transferred to the coolant, which in this case is seawater. The temperature of the seawater is raised in the process. If the seawater released is too hot, it can affect the ecosystem. Therefore, the temperature at both the intake and outlet points is measured and monitored to ensure that the temperature difference is not too great. At some power plants computers were programmed to record a higher than actual intake temperature, while at others they were programmed to record a lower outlet temperature. The readings were thus falsified to show a lower temperature difference than was really the case.

"On 31 January 2007 TEPCO released details of data falsification at its nuclear power plants. It admitted to a total of about 200 irregularities. A few examples are discussed below.

1. During a periodic inspection in May 1992 at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa reactor number 1 (K-K-1), the day before it was to be tested it was discovered that, due to a fault with the electric motor, the residual heat removal pump (part of the Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS)) was not working. TEPCO staff made some adjustments to make it appear from the central control room that the pump was working. In this way, they were able to trick the METI inspector into awarding a pass for the inspection.

2. Again at K-K (the reactors are not specified), from around 1995 to 1997, measurements of the concentration of radioactive iodine released from the exhaust stack were made to appear lower than they really were by taking the measurements on the reverse side of the filter. In May 1995 the concentration of radioactivity from rare gases emitted from the exhaust stack of reactor 4 was also falsified.

3. From 1979 to 1998, in order to pass inspections, internal pressure readings for steam pipes connecting the reactor to the turbines at Fukushima I reactor 1 were falsified to match the specifications in the inspection guidelines. It was said that the specifications were inappropriate and that they were later amended so that falsification ceased to be necessary.

"There were many instances of malpractice besides these, in relation to periodic inspections and also in other areas. Fabrication and falsification had indeed become standard practice. Investigations are still proceeding and one cannot help feeling that the most serious and dangerous cases are still to come."

[And indeed it would come, 4 years later!]

http://www.cnic.jp/english/newsletter/nit117/nit117articles/nit117tepco.html

#CitizensNuclearInformatioNcenter #NoNukes #WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife #IAEAHides #TEPCOLies #FukushimaIsntOver #NoDumping #NuclearPowerPlants #RadioactiveWater #RethinkNotRestart #PacificOcean #DataFalsification