News From The Meltdowns: TEPCO's Latest Screw-Ups

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/ Related video: Looking at Risks if the Fukushima Ice Wall Defrosts    • Looking at Risks if the Fukushima Ice Wall...   JAPAN TO HAND OVER PLUTONIUM TO US Japan is preparing to hand over to the United States its stockpile of research-purpose plutonium. It was purchased decades ago from the US and other countries. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Wednesday that since the 9-11 attacks in 2001, the US has aggressively tackled reducing nuclear material that could be targeted by terrorists for their use. He said Japan has been actively cooperating with this effort, hoping to contribute to international nuclear security. Japan purchased the plutonium in the late 1960s through the mid-70s for research use at Tokai Village, about 100 kilometers north of Tokyo. Feb. 26, 2014 - Updated 13:16 UTC FUKUSHIMA NO.4 REACTOR POOL'S COOLING FAN HALTS The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says a cooling fan for the spent fuel pool at the No. 4 reactor has stopped working. Tokyo Electric Power Company announced on Tuesday that a warning alarm for an electrical problem went off at 9:40 AM. The firm says work to remove spent fuel from the pool has been suspended. But it says there are 2 cooling systems, so it will switch to the second one and cooling should resume by around 1 PM. The pool temperature is now 13 degrees Celsius. TEPCO estimates that it will rise by about 0.3 degrees per hour. The operator says a nearby electrical cable may have been damaged in excavation work. The company is looking into the cause of the fan failure. Feb. 25, 2014 - Updated 02:39 UTC TEPCO OFFICIAL: CHANGE OF CULTURE NEEDED A senior official of Tokyo Electric Power Company has apologized for the repeated leaks of contaminated water from tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. TEPCO Managing Executive Officer Takafumi Anegawa was speaking to reporters on Monday after Japan's nuclear regulators criticized the operator for the latest massive leak. Anegawa said he thinks a change in corporate culture is needed to avoid such repeated mistakes. He said he understands the problems and that he will do his best to improve the management, but that this takes time. Feb. 24, 2014 - Updated 12:04 UTC TEPCO INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE HUMAN ERRORS Tokyo Electric Power Company has yet to determine the cause of a recent leak of radioactive water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. About 100 tons of highly contaminated water leaked from a tank at the number 4 reactor from Wednesday to Thursday. TEPCO officials at first said the cause may have been mechanical trouble at one of the 3 valves on a pipe linking a treatment facility to the tank. They said contaminated water flowed even though the valve was shut. However, they later said a photo shows the valve open on Wednesday morning. They also said another valve on a pipe that was to be used to transfer contaminated water was shut at the time but was open after the leak was found. They now say opening and closing of these 2 valves by someone probably led to the leak. TEPCO is interviewing workers as to why and how the valves were operated. The utility is also reviewing ways to supervise engineers who handle valves and monitor water levels in a tank. This is because the water level was not monitored properly at the time the valves were operated. And tools for closing and opening the valves were not stored properly. Feb. 22, 2014 - Updated 07:45 UTC