Monday, September 16, 2013

Monju Fast Breeder Reactor's Emergency Response Support System Was Down for One Hour, Cause Unknown, Plant Site Not Accessible Due to Landslides


According to an emergency email from Nuclear Regulatory Authority that independent journalist Ryuichi Kino shares, the cause of the system stoppage is not likely to be known anytime soon as the maintenance staff cannot reach Monju because of landslides caused by Typhoon 18's heavy rain.

From Kino's tweets:

本日(16日)、原子力規制庁は、独立行政法人原子力安全基盤機構(JNES)より、日本原子力研究開発機構もんじゅの緊急時対策支援システム(ERSS)のプラント情報表示システムからのデータ伝送が停止している旨の連絡を受けました。

Today (September 16), we at Nuclear Regulatory Authority received correspondence from Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) that data transfer from the plant parameter display system of the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) for Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA)'s Monju Fast-Breeder stopped.

(16日2時56分から伝送停止。同日3時46分から順次受信)。JNES及び日本原子力研究開発機構においてデータ伝送停止の原因を調査中ですが、台風18号の大雨による土砂崩れのため、保修担当者がもんじゅ構内に通行不能であり、伝送停止の原因判明には時間を要する模様です。

(The data transfer stopped at 2:56AM on September 16, and partially resumed after 3:46AM.) JNES and JAEA are currently investigating the cause of the data transfer stoppage. However, because of landslides from heavy rain from Typhoon No.18, maintenance and repair staff cannot get to the Monju Plant compound. Therefore, it may take a while to determine the cause of the stoppage.

なお、ERSS伝送装置復旧までの間に原子力施設でトラブルが発生した場合には、電話、FAX、電子メール等の代替手段によりデータを入手でき、データ提供を確実なものとするよう、日本原子力研究開発機構に指示済みです。

We have already instructed JAEA to secure the collection and transfer of data via alternative means such as telephone, FAX, email if a problem arises at the nuclear facility before the ERSS data transfer system is fully restored.


According to Asahi Shinbun (9/16/2013), there were two landslides near Monju, with one of them at the entrance of a tunnel 1 kilometer from the plant.

There are several nuclear power plants in Japan which are only accessible by one road and/or a tunnel - Monju, Tsuruga Nuclear Power Plant, and Ooi Nuclear Power Plant.

Here's how Monju is situated: accessible via a tunnel, or a narrow road hugging the coastline:


Accessibility to the site in case of a problem is not included in the conditions for restarting the nuclear power plants in Japan.

By the way, in terms of accessibility, TEPCO's nuclear plants including Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plants are one of the best nuclear plants in Japan, and still the earthquake and tsunami led to the disaster we continue to face at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Only fools believe in the new NRA safety rules. Nothing has changed after Fukushima in Japan. It's the all the same, just with a new name ( NRA ).

Anonymous said...

Landslides, who could have predicted those??-- oh, anybody with half a brain EXCEPT the NRA and the people running Monju.

Anonymous said...

a liitany of problems

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monju_Nuclear_Power_Plant

Anonymous said...

Monju can not be closed down because it is the excuse Japan uses to stockpile plutonium (source NHK).

Oh well, as long as its inept operator keep dropping heavy machinery into the reactor Monju restart should remain safely located at a future date. /sarcasm off

Beppe

Anonymous said...

Sounds "safe".

Anonymous said...

3OT

Japan wants to consider lowering nuclear dependence: trade minister

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/17/us-japan-nuclear-idUSBRE98G04Q20130917

"I think Japan's trade deficit will last forever even if nuclear reactors are restarted," said Hiromichi Shirakawa, chief economist at Credit Suisse

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/09/16/uk-japan-economy-trade-analysis-idUKBRE98F0Y420130916

Some 8,000 march in Tokyo against restart of any nuclear power plants

http://www.ecnmag.com/news/2013/09/some-8000-march-tokyo-against-restart-any-nuclear-power-plants

Beppe

Anonymous said...

Sodium leak detector temporarily inactive in fuel storage tank at Monju FBR.

According to Jiji Press description the tank looks similar to a spent fuel pool, except that it contains liquid sodium at 200 degrees Celsius, instead of water.

The leak detector was inoperative because a valve was closed; the plant operator does not know why that valve was closed.

Nuclear power plants are too dangerous to be left in the hands of electric utilities.

Apolline said...

Are you fine, Ultraman. Another health trouble ?

Anonymous said...

Hélios you had a cute feminine intuition last time, I hope he's just taking a little break, or has no new big news to feed our greed for awful stories.
You sure know gen4.fr run by Trifou, he seems also to want some rest. I also feel I am bored with this breathtaking story. No mastering (anon at 7/32 AM is plain right : Tepco can be the right body to deliver electricity, it is not for managing npps, I just heard the same from A. Gundersen recently.)
No hope from the gov. and Ministries, all too broke and playing chairs to to anything properly.
Feeling useless, and bothering about other things - my own things - I'll know it anyway if the plants crumble into the sea or if some pools set on fire, or if another Murphy's comes arround.
Nice from you anyway.

Phiphi

Anonymous said...

I vote we appoint an Israeli Defense firm to run Fuku, you know, like the way they've turned the West Bank into "The Lab".
Fuku, "occupied", as a proving ground for global securities.

freewheeling

6,800 licensed arms dealers

"In August, the documentary "The Lab" by Israeli director Yotam Feldman .."

"The occupied territories are crucial as a laboratory not just in terms of Israel's internal security, but because they have allowed Israel to become pivotal to the global homeland security industry," Israeli analyst Jeff Halper said.

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2013/09/18/Israels-booming-arms-exports-under-scrutiny/UPI-86021379533827/?spt=hs&or=si

The same way they've hijacked enews with "too busy" Administrator/chat zombies?

Perhaps "The Lab" will sell Japan natural gas at a special price?

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2013/09/13/Lebanons-gas-hopes-leak-away-amid-countrys-woes/UPI-27481379103794/?spt=hs&or=er

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/30/what-happens-if-syria-gets-s-300-missiles.html


haha, Blowing up The Lab's spot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZN7URkabX0

Anonymous said...

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/russia/121022/russia-georgia-drones-little-war?page=0,1

Anonymous said...

AT anon at 7:10 AM
A bit OT but good choice, may-be sectarian, or not, I will check later. Troll or not, interesting.
For those who question the french military operation in Libya, even requiring the humiliating settlement of his tents in the Elysées gardens see :
http://www.thedailybeast.com/witw/articles/2013/09/20/gaddafi-s-abuses-of-power-included-abducting-young-girls-raping-men-says-annick-cojean-in-her-new-book-gaddafi-s-harem.html

Annick Cojean is a respected and reliable contributor to the french most reliable paper Le Monde

Anonymous said...

Related (Monju)

http://juzoitami1997.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/wicked-japans-nuclear-power-mafia-killed-a-monjus-employee/

It is important to recall this murder.

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