Massive Quake Hits NE Japan

[Asher]

Keep in mind the main reason Chernobyl was so bad in terms of scale was people kept drinking the milk from the cows in the area, which contained radioactive iodine.

[SlowwHand]

They may be OK then. I don't remember seeing any photos or footage with a cow in the background.

[Asher]

Have to admit, as safe as Nuclear power statistically is, it probably doesn't make any sense at all to put plants so close to densely populated cities.

Pickering Nuclear Generating Station is Canada's oldest nuclear reactor (started construction 45 years ago), and it's about 15km from downtown Toronto.

2.5 million people live within 30km of that plant. If it ever has a problem...

[notyoueither]

Bit over 200km IIRC

It looks tiny on maps the way they are drawn.

[EPW]

Once again the Gods spread the cheeks to ram **** in ****ing ass.

[OneFootInTheGrave]

I am sure that the governments are lying as much as feasible, but it is a lot easier to lie about preceived threats from some potential enemy that noone can check... than about radiation levels in population zones which are relatively easy to check independantly...

[Dr Strangelove]

If the problem started with seawater getting into the diesel fuel of the back-up pumps or power generators could the whole problem have been avoided by putting snorkels on the air intakes for the diesel engines and their fuel tanks? Just think, for about $100 dollars this whole thing could have been averted.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

If the problem started with seawater getting into the diesel fuel of the back-up pumps or power generators could the whole problem have been avoided by putting snorkels on the air intakes for the diesel engines and their fuel tanks? Just think, for about $100 dollars this whole thing could have been averted.

I was reading ealier that the diesels were irreparable damaged as a conseqeunce so repairs modifications not an option at this point. Point of the matter is replacmeent diesels were ebroguth on site ASAP but couldn't be used as connections were incompatible. All that being said it is likely moot. The hydrogen explosions at units 1,2 and 3 have now forced the site to use fire pumps for sea water introduction into the core. I am only supposing but I guess the site pumps were lilely damaged or rendered inoperable and that use of portable fire pumps is the most reliable means of getting sea water to the core. From the reports, I think they are not using RHR HX or ECCS (Emergency Core Cooling System) pumps but are instead allowing boil off of the reactors to go down to the torus/suppression pool. One of the reasons I am most concerned about unit 2 which had reported damge to RPV integrity and suppression pool.

The most encouraging info is that levels and pressure are stabilized in the RPVs for the moment.

[Jon Miller]

I have been praying it wouldn't get bad.

But I think it has.

I have heard that people still working at the reactor are getting 100mSv doses in the 3 minute shifts they take.

JM

[Docfeelgood]

See--not worse than Chernobyl now. Possible, maybe. But also consider that Chernobyl threw up radiation due to massive explosions; if the fuel rods burn, but don't explode, the radiation won't travel as far or as fast, and most of it will go out to sea.

I heard that reactor no 3 uses MOX fuel

[Docfeelgood]

Seeing them use helicopters reminds me of Chernobyl when the russians where trying to control there meltdown.

[Docfeelgood]

The government has now raised the maximum radiation dose allowed for nuclear workers to 250 millisieverts from 100 millisieverts

Does this make sense to anybody?

[MikeH]

Yes.

they raised the "allowed dose" not "safe dose".

[Barnabas]

The minister of ecology of France, said, the worst case is probable and possible

That everything will be decided during the next 48 hours

That first they (the EU) had no doubts on Japan being able to hande the issue, but that now they have extremely serious doubts

[MikeH]

I wouldn't want a dose of 250mSv.

Feel really sorry for the workers risking their lives and health to bring this under control.