A 6.8 magnitude earthquake occurred in Niigata, Japan today. The
epicenter was in the Sea of Japan (which I think the Koreans call the
Sea of Korea). The earthquake damaged the Kashiwazaki nuclear power
plant facility. The nuclear reactor shut down automatically, but the
damage caused a fire in the electrical transformer used to power the
plant, which burned for two hours. Initially the Japanese government
and the local power company reported there was no leakage of
radioactive material, but CNN now says 315 gallons of slightly
radioactive water leaked from the plant and the water is "believed"
to have flushed into the Sea of Japan. See:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/07/16/japan.quake.ap/index.html
This is the world's largest nuclear power reactor complex 8,212 MW.
What it is doing in the middle of nowhere in Niigata I cannot guess.
For the past several months, Japanese reactor plant operators and
government agencies have been caught in one of the worst scandals in
recent decades. They have covered up many serious reactor accidents
and radioactive leaks. Before that, they cover up the extent of the
fire at the Monju breeder reactor, and the details of the Tokaimura
nuclear accident, which was caused by such extraordinary incompetence
-- such infuriating imbecility -- I would not have believed it
possible in any first world nation.
Given this track record, I would say that Japanese reactor operators
have zero credibility and I would not be surprised to learn that
hundreds of gallons of highly radioactive water were released into
the grounds of the reactor and have now soaked into the surrounding
communities. Unfortunately, most Japanese reporters are wusses, so we
may never know.
- Jed
