Tag Archives: food

Idaho robots reveal radiation levels too high for humans

Robots from the Idaho National Laboratory have been searching through the damaged reactor buildings at Fukushima Daiichi.

They have discovered temperature and radiation levels too high for humans.  Tokyo Electric Power Company officials say they will have to use air conditioners, and filtration systems, to bring heat and radiation levels down enough for workers to operate inside the buildings.  Latest NHK video

Obama considering sending food to North Korea

After giving a speech that implied that social programs for citizens of the U.S., such as Food Stamps, would have to be cut, President Obama is considering sending food to North Korea.

U.S. Special Envoy, Robert King, made the announcement in response to the UN World Food Program’s call for 430,000 tons of food aid to North Korea.  The United States canceled food aid about two years ago, because of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

Planned Texas Nuke Plant, Abandoned

A company that was going to build two reactors in Texas, abandoned the plan.

NRG Energy, in cooperation with Toshiba, was planning on building two reactors in Texas. The company now says the investment environment has become too risky to continue with the plans.  They will now write off U.S.$ 481 million on their taxes, for the canceled project.

 

Idaho Robots run into trouble in Nuke Plant

Tokyo Electric Power Company says high radiation levels, and high humidity, is slowing up robots being used to inspected the reactor buildings at Fukushima Daiichi.

In Reactor 2 building the humidity was so high it fogged the robot’s camera lens.

In Reactor 3, there is too much debris from the hydrogen gas explosion.  They will use another robot that can clear the debris, some of which weighs 100kg (220 pounds).

 

Black Week in Ukraine, Chernobyl anniversary, still seeking funds with ongoing clean up efforts

25 years after the deadly nuclear accident at the Chernobyl plant, the Ukraine is still struggling to deal with the disaster.

This week is Black Week, the official anniversary of the nuclear accident, which happened on 26 April 1986.  31 people were killed, as a direct result of the disaster, and many more have suffered cancers, and children being born with defects.

The amazing thing is that clean up efforts continue, and the Ukraine is struggling to pay for it.   Officials are trying to raise U.S.$ 1 billion for future clean up projects.

Japan nuke workers suffer Heat Stroke!

Tokyo Electric Power Company will now put air conditioners in the worker’s rest stations,  after at least one worker succumbed to heat stroke.

Temperatures inside their protective suits are hot after only 30 minutes of wearing them.  Unlike some military NBC masks, that can allow you to drink water, the nuke suits used at Fukushima Daiichi do not allow the workers to drink water.

There is only one building on the compound that still has working air conditioning.  TEPCo will bring in more air conditioning units.

TEPCo testing for Plutonium in Pacific Ocean!

Tokyo Electric Power Company officials say they will test the ocean for plutonium.  They have already found soil samples to be contaminated with the toxic isotope.

TEPCo official Matsumoto Junichi says because plutonium was found in the ground around Fukushima Daiichi, then it’s possible it is getting into the ocean.  They will check the ocean floor, because plutonium is heavier than other isotopes, and probably sank.

Idaho robot succefully measures Radiation in Reactors

NHK reporting that the robot sent by the Idaho National Laboratory has measured radiation levels inside reactors 1 and 3.

The robots were sent to Japan to help deal with the damaged Fukshima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The max radiation level inside the Reactor 3 building is 57 millisieverts per hour, while max level in Reactor 1 building is at 49 millisieverts per hour.  The readings were taken on the first floor of the buildings.

Normal safe limits, for nuclear employees, are 100 millisieverts, but the Japanese government raised it to an emergency limit of 250 millisieverts.  Even at the emergency limit, a worker would exceed it within four and a half hours of exposure.

They will check Reactor 2 building next.  NHK video

Robot from Idaho now working at Japan Nuke Plant

Robots from the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) are about to start work in the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

Originally developed to assist with high-risk reconnaissance and the disposal of explosives and hazardous materials, The TALON has been modified for its new job.

The INL is also supplying Japan with radiation-sensing packages for Japanese robots, and a four person team to provide training and advice.   NHK video