#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Alpha Nuclides Found in Condensed Water from Reactor 3's PCV Gas Control System

As the sudden and renewed media attention (latest I found today was from Bloomberg News, informing the readers about that "300 tons of water laced with radioactive particles") is being focused on contaminated water (highly contaminated water in the underground trenches, low-contamination water in the observation holes along the embankment which is a reclaimed land along the ocean) at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, there are other curious surveys and examinations being done at the plant, without any media attention.

The probe of Reactor 2's Containment Vessel into the pedestal area is one. Here, I think, is another.

On August 12, 2013, TEPCO announced the result of the alpha-nuclide analysis of condensed water from the gas control system of Reactors 1, 2 and 3. I believe this is the first time that TEPCO has ever tested alpha nuclides in gas/condensed water coming out of any Containment Vessel.

All-alpha was not detected in the condensed water from the gas control system of Reactors 1 and 2, but there was a small amount of all-alpha, max 0.19 Bq/cm3 (cubic centimeter) detected from the condensed water from the gas control system of Reactor 3.

Reactor 3 was using MOX-fuel with extra plutonium as part of fuel when it was shut down on March 11, 2011.　32 MOX-fuel assemblies were installed in the fuel core when Reactor 3 was restarted in October 2010 after a scheduled maintenance.

From TEPCO's handout for the press in English, 8/12/2013:

Sampling Results (All α) of Condensed Water at Unit 1-3 PCV Gas Control System (the Entrance of HEPA Filter) in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

TEPCO had done the nuclide analysis for condensed water for gamma nuclides (including radioactive cesium) back in June, and there was no statistical difference between the reactors.

Even though TEPCO hasn't identified which alpha nuclides were found in the condensed water from the Reactor 3 gas control system, it seems the company suspects the contamination of Reactor 3 building may be different from that of other reactor buildings, which may pose problems in the future decontamination work.

TEPCO has been injecting nitrogen gas into the Primary Containment Vessels of Reactors 1, 2 and 3 to prevent the concentration of hydrogen gas. The gas control system with HEPA filter has been installed to treat the gas being pushed out of the PCV, and there are particulate filters and charcoal filters to collect radioactive materials in the gas. There are also drains to collect condensed water.

The nitrogen injection system and the gas control system of Reactor 3 were installed in July 2011, with TEPCO workers and affiliate company workers getting 5.34 millisieverts radiation for 9-minute work. The hose for the nitrogen injection had to be installed in the area with 55 millisieverts/hour radiation.

(There are several, curious loose ends about Reactor 3. I'm writing a post for my record.)

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Mainichi: Japan Made Secret Promise with the US to Restart Pluthermal Nuclear Program in September Last Year

It was when Yoshihiko Noda was still the prime minister in the DPJ administration. Just like the current prime minister, Mr. Noda did his utmost best to please the US president (Mr. Obama) and the US power that be, whom Noda thought Mr. Obama represented. Mr. Noda, however, was taken more seriously in the US and elsewhere than the current office holder who is deemed a threat to the US interests in Asia.

Mainichi Shinbun claims it obtained the official documents (which they never disclose to the readers) detailing the promise that Mr. Noda's envoy, Hiroshi Ogushi, made to Mr. Daniel Poneman, Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Energy.

"Pluthermal" is a Japanese English made from "plutonium" and "thermal-neutron reactor", and it means nuclear power generation using MOX fuel in light-water reactors.

From Mainichi English (6/25/2013):

Japan made secret promise with U.S. to restart pluthermal nuclear program

A Japanese prime ministerial envoy secretly promised to the United States that Japan would resume its controversial "pluthermal" program, using light-water reactors to burn plutonium, according to documents obtained by the Mainichi.

The secret promise was made by Hiroshi Ogushi, then parliamentary secretary of the Cabinet Office, to Daniel Poneman, deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, during Ogushi's visit to the United States on behalf of then Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in September last year.

The revelation comes as Japan's pluthermal project remains suspended in the wake of the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant disaster due to safety concerns. The fact that a Japanese official promised to the U.S. to implement such a controversial project without a prior explanation to the Japanese public is expected to stir up controversy.

According to the official documents obtained by the Mainichi, upon being pressed to reduce the amount of plutonium in Japan that could be diverted to military use, Ogushi told Poneman that Japan would burn plutonium in plutonium-thermal (pluthermal) reactors. The then ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) was in the final stages of formulating its nuclear energy policy at the time.

Under the pluthermal plan, spent nuclear fuel generated in light-water reactors is reprocessed to extract plutonium, which is then mixed with uranium to create mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel for use in power generation. However, many experts have raised questions about the program, citing its high costs and the risks posed by the fuel's comparatively low melting point and the decreased effectiveness of control rods. The plan to burn plutonium in conventional reactors was introduced in 2009 because there were no prospects for putting the Monju prototype fast-breeder reactor into practical use.

The documents that the Mainichi obtained are a compilation of cables recording the Ogushi-Poneman talks in the U.S. on Sept. 12 last year. During the meeting, Ogushi explained that Japan would inject all available policy resources to break away from nuclear power generation in the 2030s, that it would steadfastly promote the nuclear fuel cycle program in the medium and long term, and that Japan would end research on the Monju reactor after confirming its achievements. The explanation was in accordance with the government's Innovative Strategy for Energy and the Environment, which was finalized on Sept. 14.

The promotion of a nuclear fuel cycle implies extraction of plutonium from spent nuclear fuel at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant in Aomori Prefecture. But Japan's "zero nuclear power" policy and the suspension of the Monju reactor could leave the nation without a facility to burn plutonium. Poneman expressed concern that this would create a situation in which plutonium could be diverted to military use. In response, Ogushi promised the continuation of the pluthermal program to burn plutonium in light-water reactors.

During an interview with the Mainichi, Ogushi declined to reveal the details of the meeting, saying, "I can't disclose whom I met from a diplomatic standpoint." He added that he didn't remember the pluthermal issue.

The Innovative Strategy for Energy and the Environment states that "nuclear reactors whose safety has been confirmed will be utilized," but contains no reference to pluthermal plans.

Yukio Edano, a House of Representatives legislator who was serving as economy, trade and industry minister at the time, defended Ogushi, saying Japan had made no distinction between pluthermal and conventional reactors that were to be operated. "There were no such micro-level talks in the Energy and Environment Council. I would have given the same answer (if I had visited the U.S.)," he said.

The current administration led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also upholds a policy to resume the pluthermal program, according to documents obtained by the Mainichi that were produced by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on March 1 and submitted to minister Toshimitsu Motegi. The documents clearly state that the government will "promote the use of MOX fuel in light-water reactors (pluthermal) after reprocessing (nuclear fuel) at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant." Based on the content of the documents, Motegi stated at a lower house Committee on Economy, Trade and Industry session on March 22, "We will steadily promote the pluthermal plans."

Despite the country not knowing which nuclear reactors will be authorized to resume operations following the July implementation of the new regulatory standards, the government has been pushing ahead with its plans to restart the controversial pluthermal program.

"It is abnormal for sure," said one official with the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy. "But it can't be helped if the Rokkasho plant is to be put into operation."

Japan that cannot say no and doesn't know when and how to stop.

As usual some on Twitter in Japan are angrily saying "See, we are made to do this by the evil capitalist empire of the United States! We are slaves! We are a colony of the US!" or something to that extent. I guess 54 reactors dotting the coastlines of Japan were so forced by the US on Japan who just couldn't say no out of fear of angering the US.

MOX fuel from France has just arrived at KEPCO's Takahama Nuclear Power Plant. KEPCO is set to submit the application for restart of the plant, and use MOX fuel in Reactors 3 and 4.

(H/T @enformable for the article link)

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Genkai Nuclear Plant with MOX-Fuel "Pluthermal" Reactor To Get Back Online by Early July

The municipal government of Genkai-cho in Saga Prefecture (red in the map) in Kyushu and Kyushu Electric Power Company are ready to re-start the Reactors 3 and 4 at Genkai Nuclear Power Plant.

The Reactor 3 at Genkai Nuclear Power Plant uses MOX fuel in addition to uranium fuel, in what the Japanese call "pluthermal" (plutonium + thermal) nuclear power generation. In fact, it is the first MOX fuel reactor in Japan. (The Fukushima I's Reactor 3 is the third one.)

Japan's MOX fuel comes from France, by the way.

In December 2010, 1 year after they started using MOX fuel in the reactor for commercial power generation, an elevated level of radioactive iodine was detected in the RPV cooling water (4 times the limit). They discovered that there were minute pinholes in one fuel rod (uranium) through which radioactive iodine was leaking (Yomiuri Shinbun Kyushu edition, 12/11/2010, Kyushu Electric press release 2/8/2011, in Japanese). Upon the discovery, the plant shut down the Reactor 3 and started a "regular maintenance" earlier than scheduled.

8 out of 12 town assemblymen in Genkai-cho are in favor of re-starting the reactors, quite satisfied with the beefed-up safety measures at the plant. Problem? What problem? Iodine leaking? What is iodine?

The plant is located in northern Kyushu, in Saga Prefecture. Talk about downwind. Almost entire Japan will be downwind from the plant.

Money talks, and talks loud.

From Tokyo Shinbun, citing Kyodo News but including more info than Kyodo News (02:14AM JST 6/8/2011):

　佐賀県玄海町の岸本英雄町長は７日、定期検査で停止中の九州電力玄海原発２、３号機について、九電に安全対策強化などの条件を提示した上で、７月 初旬までに運転再開への同意を伝える方針を明らかにした。東京電力福島第１原発の事故後、原発が立地する自治体が再稼働を容認するのは初。

Hideo Kishimoto, mayor of Genkai-cho in Saga Prefecture, said on June 7 he would agree to Kyushu Electric Power Company's re-starting the Reactors 2 and 3 at its Genkai Nuclear Power Plant by early July, after showing Kyushu Electric the conditions for the re-start including increased safety measures at the plant. It will be the first time any local government agrees to the re-start of a nuclear power plant in its jurisdiction.

　法的には、定期検査からの原発の再稼働に地元自治体や議会の了解手続きの定めはない。ただ、九電は県と町の「地元同意」を再開の前提としており、今後は慎重姿勢を示している古川康県知事の意向が鍵となる。

There is no law that requires the consent of local municipalities and assemblies to restart reactors after a regular maintenance. However, Kyushu Electric has said the "local consensus" of the prefecture and the town should be in place before the restart. Saga governor Yasushi Furukawa, who has shown

　岸本町長は７月１日前後に九電幹部を呼び、（１）テロや集中豪雨対策を強化する（２）人為的ミスを極力減らす（３）地元で（住民らから）理解を得る活動に努める―などの条件を文書で手渡し、口頭で運転再開への同意を伝えるとした。

Mayor Kishimoto plans to call the executives at Kyushu Electric to his office around July 1, hand them the memorandum that specifies the conditions for the restart which include 1) stronger measures against terrorism and heavy rains; 2) reduction of human errors as much as possible; 3) PR to the local residents for greater understanding, and will verbally give his consent to the re-start.

　 玄海町議会は今月１日の特別委員会で、町議全１２人のうち８人が再開に賛成の意を表明済み。岸本町長は「本来なら国が一定の判断をすべきだが、町議会が賛 成の判断を固め、震災後の緊急安全対策もきちんと実施されていることが確認できた。九州の生活を守るには（運転再開が）必要だ」と理由を説明した。

The Genkai-cho Assembly already gave its approval in a special committee meeting on June 1, with 8 assemblymen out of 12 giving their consent to the re-start. Mayor Kishimoto says, "The national government ought to give the decision, but the town Assembly has approved, and we are able to confirm that the emergency safety measures after the March 11 earthquake have been effectively carried out. In order to protect the way of life in Kyushu, the re-start of the reactors at Genkai is necessary."

　一方、県は９日、経済産業省原子力安全・保安院を呼び、地震対策などについて説明を受ける予定で、引き続き協議する構え

Meanwhile, the Saga prefectural government will call on the METI's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency on June 9, and receive the explanation on earthquake countermeasures. The prefectural government is still in talks with Kyushu Electric over the re-start of the reactors.

The governor of Saga is another elite Tokyo University graduate (law school), and a career government bureaucrat.

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Mainichi English: "Agency gears up to retrieve device fallen inside Monju reactor"

Ah, the horror, the horror....

Monju is a fast breeder reactor that uses sodium as coolant, which catches on fire on contact with air. It uses MOX-fuel.

3.3-tonne, 12-meter "In‐Vessel Transfer Machine" fell into the reactor vessel on August 26, 2010. The manager at the plant in charge of fuel exchange committed suicide in February this year.

From Mainichi Shinbun English (5/24/2011):

TSURUGA (Kyodo) -- The Japan Atomic Energy Agency began preparatory engineering work Tuesday to set up equipment it will use to retrieve a device that fell inside the vessel of its prototype fast-breeder reactor Monju in Fukui Prefecture last August, agency officials said.

The agency aims to collect the cylindrical 3.3-ton device together with part of the vessel's upper lid by mid-June to get the reactor back to normal by autumn, allowing the resumption of a test run of the 280,000-kilowatt prototype, the officials said.

But it is unknown when the test run will begin at the unit on the Sea of Japan coast as Prime Minister Naoto Kan has declared a review of Japan's basic energy plan following the nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant caused by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

After the Aug. 26 accident, the agency tried in October to recover the device used in fuel exchange but failed as it had become misshapen, preventing its retrieval through the upper lid.

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Plutonium Is Not Just in MOX Fuels in Reactor 3

My "Duh" moment.

Plutonium is not just in the MOX (Mixed Oxide) fuels that are used in the Reactor No.3. It is in the Reactor Pressure Vessels, and it is in the spent fuels stored (I hope) in the pools above (I hope) the Reactors No.1, 2, 3, 4.

Why? Because plutonium is a byproduct of uranium fission. Duh.

From World Nuclear Association's paper on Plutonium:

In practical terms, there are two different kinds of plutonium to be considered: reactor-grade and weapons-grade. The first is recovered as a by-product of typical used fuel from a nuclear reactor, after the fuel has been irradiated ('burned') for about three years. The second is made specially for the military purpose, and is recovered from uranium fuel that has been irradiated for only 2-3 months in a plutonium production reactor. The two kinds differ in their isotopic composition but must both be regarded as a potential proliferation risk, and managed accordingly.

Plutonium, both that routinely made in power reactors and that from dismantled nuclear weapons, is a valuable energy source when integrated into the nuclear fuel cycle. In a conventional nuclear reactor, one kilogram of Pu-239 can produce sufficient heat to generate nearly 10 million kilowatt-hours of electricity.

Plutonium and nuclear power

Plutonium is formed in nuclear power reactors from uranium. When operating, a typical 1000 MWe [megawatt electrical] nuclear power reactor contains within its uranium fuel load several hundred kilograms of plutonium.

So far, after more than 2 weeks since the first explosion (Reactor No.1) occurred, Fukushima I Nuclear Plant seems to have quieted down. Move on, nothing to see here.

It is possible that they are not telling us, but no, Japanese people are honest and hard-working, right? Right.

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Greenpeace Says MOX Fuel Leaving for Japan in April from France; Same Type Used in Reactor 3

From Morningstar.co.uk (3/24/2011), citing Dow Jones Newswires citing Kyodo News English, who buries the news behind the subscription wall:

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

A ship carrying nuclear fuel processed in France is scheduled to leave for Japan in early April, Kyodo News reported Thursday, citing the French affiliate of environmental advocacy group Greenpeace.

The uranium-plutonium mixed-oxide fuel, known as MOX fuel, is the same type as the one being used in the No. 3 reactor at the earthquake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan, Greenpeace said.

The ship is expected to leave the port of Cherbourg in the week of April 4 but Areva SA (CEI.FR), France's state-controlled nuclear engineering firm, said it won't depart then, indicating a possible delay, according to Kyodo.

Areva and state power company Electricite de France SA (EDF.FR) have sent equipment to Japan to assist with the crisis at the Fukushima plant, Areva's chief executive said last week.

-Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2900

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 24, 2011 14:47 ET (18:47 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2011 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

More on MOX fuel in my previous post here.

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#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Danger of MOX Fuel

from BBC Live report of the Japan earthquake, citing Mr. Masashi Goto, former Toshiba engineer who designed the containment vessel of the Reactor No.3 at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant:

...
1431: More from Japanese nuclear engineer Masashi Goto: He say that as the reactor uses mox (mixed oxide) fuel, the melting point is lower than that of conventional fuel. Should a meltdown and an explosion occur, he says, plutonium could be spread over an area up to twice as far as estimated for a conventional nuclear fuel explosion. The next 24 hours are critical, he says.

426: Mr Goto says his greatest fear is that blasts at number 3 and number 1 reactors may have damaged the steel casing of the containment vessel designed to stop radioactive material escaping into the atmosphere. More to follow.

1422: Japanese engineer Masashi Goto, who helped design the containment vessel for Fukushima's reactor core, says the design was not enough to withstand earthquakes or tsunamis and the plant's builders, Toshiba, knew this. More on Mr Goto's remarks to follow.

1415: Prof Richard Wakeford adds: "The other thing authorities [in Japan] will be considering is the issuing of stable iodine tablets to block the intake of radioactive iodine which accumulates in the thyroid, and which is particularly problematic if it happens in young children."

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