AFTER JAPAN NUKE PANIC, GERMAN NUKE COVER-UP, CONSIDER WIND

NewEnergyNews used to run an irregular feature highlighting accidents at nuclear energy plants called “These Things Don’t Happen Anymore” but incidents were coming so often the joke got tedious. Now this earthquake (reminding California residents of their worries about the Diablo Canyon facility).

So add another concern to the list of problems making nuclear the wrong answer to large scale power needs. The list is getting long: (1) Seismic vulnerability (2) Flooding on the coasts and failure of adequate water supplies inland due to climate change (see CLIMATE CHANGE COULD SINK NUCLEAR) (3) Random electrical and other equipment accidents leading to spills and leaks (see "Nuclear Scandal" story below)(4) Terrorist targeting (5) Weapons-grade materials proliferation and last, but by no means least,(6) Nuclear waste disposal.

Is that really what you want to invest your money in (not to mention your kids' future)?

Then there is wind. Here’s the list of serious problems: We have to build a lot of it. Fast.

We can do that. Especially if we spend the kind of money proposed for nuclear. It would help if we had a national Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) mandating that every state derive a percentage of its power from renewable energy. The House of Representatives is about to consider an RPS. Participate in the decision. Contact your congressman: POWER OF WIND

New leak identified at damanged Japanese nuclear plant
Justine McCurry, July 19, 2007 (UK Guardian Unlimited)

WHO
The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency (Atsuyuki Suzuki, chairman), Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant. 7 reactors+1 earthquake=1 mess.

WHAT
Radioactive iodine leaked from an exhaust pipe in the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear energy plant following Monday’s magnitude 6.8 earthquake, adding to previous worries about the 1200 liters of slightly radioactive water that spilled into the nearby ocean and the dozens of broken barrels of nuclear waste.

WHEN
The earthquake was July 16.

WHERE
The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear energy plant is on Japan's north-west coast in the Niigata prefecture. Some reports now contend the plant was built on the fault which caused the quake.

WHY
Inspectors have reportedly decided there is no health or environmental dangers associated with the leaks and spills.
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, with 7 nuclear reactors, has the largest nuclear energy generating capacity in the world. It may remain closed for a year. This is expected to result in power shortages for Japan during the high demand summer months.
Much criticism has surrounded the plant’s handling of the quake’s damage.
Japan’s 55 nuclear reactors produce 30% of its electricty. It plans to expand capacity.
Quake toll: 10 deaths, 1000 injuries, 12,000 homeless, production stopped at Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi and Fuji Heavy Industries nearby facilities.

QUOTES
Suzuki: "The safety of the plant was fundamentally maintained and we avoided the serious consequences of a nuclear accident…The list of problems announced by Tepco has no serious effect on the safety of the reactor."
Yasuhisa Shiozaki, Japanese government spokesman: "Since there was such a huge earthquake that surpassed our expectations, we need to consider future measures for quake resistance…"

and

Energy Giant’s Europe Chief Quits After Nuclear Scandal
18 July 2007 (Deutsche Welle)
NewEnergyNews has no German but can see this is supposed to be the Brunsbüttel nuclear power plant that has had 3 shutdowns in the last 3 weeks and, after the Japanese earthquake, the cartoon probably isn't all that funny.

WHO
Vattenfall Europe CEO Klaus Rauscher, Vattenfall supervisory board chief Lars G. Josefsson, German Economy Minister Michael Glos, German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel, Prime Minister Angela Merkel

WHAT
Rauscher resigned after it emerged that the 3rd Brunsbüttel nuclear power plant temporary shut down in 3 weeks and the fire in the Krümmel nuclear power plant in June were all caused by electrical defects. Vattenfall Europe's nuclear energy chief Bruno Thomauske was fired July 16.

WHEN
- Rauscher resigned July 18.

WHERE
- The nuclear facilities are both near Hamburg, Germany.

WHY
- Plant electrical defects caused the problems. No radioactivity was released but the series of incidents have tarnished the German nuclear industry at a time when many in Prime Minister Merkel seek to phase out nuclear.
- An independent inquiry of the problems and the nuclear industry will be undertaken, budgeted at $6.8 million.
- The involved plants are among Germany’s older generation. Newer ones are safer but older ones are cheaper.
Might be a good weekend to take another look at Dr. Caldicott's book. Just a thought.

QUOTES
- Josefsson: "Rauscher explained that it cannot be denied that the events of the past few weeks have tarnished the image of Vattenfall Europe…Errors have been made for which he, as head of Vattenfall Europe, must bear responsibility."
- Glos: "What's definite is that the reactors in operation are as safe as is humanly possible…On this point, we in Germany are ahead…"
- Merkel: "My pity for the industry is limited…After all, dramatic errors were committed…I wouldn't generalize [but] it must not happen again."