Radiation leaking into seawater from Japan's tsunami-damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclearcomplex has reached its highest levels to date, which has caused nuclear officials to state that the four most damaged reactors will be demolished.
Nishiyama Hidehiko (surname first), the deputy director general of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, says that seawater tested near the facility was found to contain Iodine-131 at 3,355 times the accepted safety standard.
"We have no choice," Tsunehisa Katsumata, chair of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), notes, explaining that Dai-Ichi's reactors No.1, No.2, No.3 and No.4 will be scrapped.
For the lay person - like you and I, what it all means is that TEPCO is going to continue its efforts to cool down the nuclear reactor, and when it's at appropriately cool enough temperature, worker swill remove the fuel rods and store it elsewhere. Once this is done, they'll be able to tear down the reactors.
It's probably a $10-billion clean-up and demolition job and it's going to take a lot of years.
Then there's the problem of needing to create additional electrical power. Japan is experiencing a power shortage now... it needs more power, not less. How will it cope?
It's not like it has a lot of oil or gas (zero, I believe) in natural resources. Most of Japan is paved over in asphalt and concrete, so there's little wood. No peat or coal to burn. Hydro-electric... I think you needs some sort of waterfall... there are plenty, but they are very beautiful and aren't set up to be practical. Solar? It always seemed cloudy when I lived there. Wind? Not as much since I left the country. Nuclear seems like a viable option... oh wait... never mind. Hmm, what about geothermal? Using the earth's own heat to heat the country. What could go wrong? Wait... don't answer that.
I've heard of some new technology of using waves (normal waves with the tide) to general power... that would seem to be a neat option considering the whole country is surrounded by waves and water. Read about it HERE.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on possible options for more power.
Andrew Joseph
Nishiyama Hidehiko (surname first), the deputy director general of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, says that seawater tested near the facility was found to contain Iodine-131 at 3,355 times the accepted safety standard.
"We have no choice," Tsunehisa Katsumata, chair of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), notes, explaining that Dai-Ichi's reactors No.1, No.2, No.3 and No.4 will be scrapped.
For the lay person - like you and I, what it all means is that TEPCO is going to continue its efforts to cool down the nuclear reactor, and when it's at appropriately cool enough temperature, worker swill remove the fuel rods and store it elsewhere. Once this is done, they'll be able to tear down the reactors.
It's probably a $10-billion clean-up and demolition job and it's going to take a lot of years.
Then there's the problem of needing to create additional electrical power. Japan is experiencing a power shortage now... it needs more power, not less. How will it cope?
It's not like it has a lot of oil or gas (zero, I believe) in natural resources. Most of Japan is paved over in asphalt and concrete, so there's little wood. No peat or coal to burn. Hydro-electric... I think you needs some sort of waterfall... there are plenty, but they are very beautiful and aren't set up to be practical. Solar? It always seemed cloudy when I lived there. Wind? Not as much since I left the country. Nuclear seems like a viable option... oh wait... never mind. Hmm, what about geothermal? Using the earth's own heat to heat the country. What could go wrong? Wait... don't answer that.
I've heard of some new technology of using waves (normal waves with the tide) to general power... that would seem to be a neat option considering the whole country is surrounded by waves and water. Read about it HERE.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on possible options for more power.
Andrew Joseph
