information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
8 Août 2013
August 7, 2013
Kyodo
The public must help fund Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s effort to freeze the soil around the reactor buildings at its Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, creating a barrier to prevent more groundwater from becoming radioactive, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday.
It was revealed the same day that 300 tons of tainted water is flowing to the Pacific daily from the stricken plant.
“There is no precedent in the world to create a water-shielding wall with frozen soil on such a large scale (as planned now at the Fukushima complex). To build that, I think the state has to move a step further to support its realization,” Suga told reporters.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is considering including the costs in the fiscal 2014 budget request. If approved, it will be the first time the government has provided money to Tepco to help it contain the groundwater mixing with radioactive water in the reactor buildings.
The government has so far allocated taxpayer money for research and development related to reactor decommissioning at the Fukushima plant, which suffered three meltdowns in the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.
A 1.4-km barrier of frozen soil will be created by sinking pipes around the buildings housing reactors 1 to 4 and then running coolant through them. According to major contractor Kajima Corp., which proposed the project, construction is expected to cost ¥30 billion to ¥40 billion.
At the end of May, a government panel adopted the project as the best way to reduce radioactive groundwater at the plant. METI Minister Toshimitsu Motegi instructed Tepco to go ahead with the project.
About 400 tons of groundwater seep into the reactor buildings every day and mix with toxic water that has been used to cool the crippled reactors.
On Wednesday, the Natural Resources and Energy Agency said about 300 tons of radioactive water per day is flowing out to the sea.
Dealing with the massive accumulation of radioactive water at the plant has remained a concern for Tepco since the nuclear crisis began.
Most recently, the utility admitted highly radioactive water is escaping into the Pacific from the plant and it is trying to prevent the spread of contamination.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, a fisheries cooperative in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, decided to postpone a plan to resume test fishing from September due to the radioactive flow into the sea.
Masakazu Yabuki, head of the co-op, said delaying the operation ensures consumers won’t be sold unsafe marine products.
August 7, 2013
Govt. to help TEPCO handle nuclear water leak
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130807_35.html
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has instructed the industry ministry to take immediate action to prevent further leakage of radiation-tainted water into the sea from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Abe gave the order to Industry Minister Toshimitsu Motegi at a meeting of government officials on the nuclear disaster.
Abe told the officials that people are extremely concerned about the leaks and that it's an urgent problem that must be dealt with.
He said the government will not leave the issue entirely up to the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company, and that officials must take steps to help the utility.
Abe told Motegi that he wants him to instruct the utility to promptly take all possible measures to deal with the leaking water.
On Thursday, the industry ministry will discuss details of a project to build a large underground wall for damming groundwater by freezing the soil at the plant.
The ministry will also examine the possibility of using government funds to pay for the wall-construction project.
Aug. 7, 2013 - Updated 09:20 UTC
Govt. considers financing nuclear water-leak work
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20130807_22.html
The Japanese government is considering a plan to fund efforts being made by the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to contain radioactive groundwater from leaking into the sea.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Wednesday that the government should support the efforts being made by Tokyo Electric Power Company.
TEPCO has been trying to prevent contaminated water from leaking into the sea by solidifying an embankment on the grounds of the plant.
But the utility discovered last week that water was likely spilling over the top of the hardened soil.
Suga said TEPCO has now decided to create an underground wall that surrounds the crippled reactors and prevents contaminated groundwater from leaking.
He added the government needs to think about helping the company pay for the project, as building such a large underground wall for damming water is unprecedented.
The walls will be made by freezing the soil around the reactor buildings.
Suga said the industry ministry is studying the costs of the project. He said Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will instruct industry minister Toshimitsu Motegi to quickly deal with the matter at a meeting of government officials on the nuclear disaster.
Aug. 7, 2013 - Updated 06:24 UTC
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