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Design Flaw Fueled Nuclear Disaster
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A Wall Street Journal report -after interviews with former TEPCO engineers and executives- throws more light on the failure of power and cooling at certain reactors in Fukushima Daiichi that led to the nuclear meltdown. The difference not grasped at the time turned out to be the critical difference between the reactors where electricity to cool the reactors worked and where the the electricity failed. Of the 10 nuclear reactors at Fukushima, only the 4 with the earlier Mark 1 design failed. These reactors were the earliest reactors installed by G.E. beginning in the 1970's. The Mark 1 reactors were serviced by an American engineering firm called Ebasco. Ebasco designed the reactor buildings really small so that they would be compact and economical. Because of the small size of the reactor buildings the generators providing the electricity supplies to the Mark 1 reactors could not be installed inside the reactor buildings made of fortified concrete and were installed in buildings outside lacking similiar protection. These outhoused generator buildings could not withstand the tsunami, resulting in the loss of power and cooling for these reactors, and leading eventually to the meltdown. The reactors with the Mark II and later designs were installed along with the generators in the same fortified concrete buildings, and these survived the tsunami without disruption in power supplies and cooling. This critical difference was noted by older TEPCO executives who were intervewed, but nothing was done about this because of the added cost of making the major modifications that would be needed. The regulatory system also failed to catch the problems with the original blueprints and design for housing the reactors and generators for cooling reactors. In 2001 the original 30 year operating permit for the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor was renewed, and again in 2011 for another ten year period. Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency is part of the industry ministry, and not kept separate and independent from the nuclear industry, a structural flaw. The ministry considered its job to be promoting nuclear power, and increasing nuclear power from 30% in 2010 to 50% of Japan's electricity output. One inspection official says fundamental design and construction of the reactors from a 30-40 year old design were never looked at in safety reviews by regulators approving the extensions. He even goes to the point of saying that the reviews focussed on things like pipes and fittings, missing entirely the safety of the outhouse buildings housing the generators. One of the top TEPCO engineers says this difference stood out like a sore thumb when did a walk through during inspections. He failed to get the support from fellow engineers and Tepco executives for changes that would add to the cost.
Failure of redundant safety systems at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan
03/14/2011
Questions this raises for future designs of nuclear plants and for the safety of nuclear plants in other countries.
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U.S. Calls Radiation âExtremely Highâ and Urges Deeper Caution in Japan
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Design of G.E.'s Mark 1 Nuclear Reactors Shows Weaknesses
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Spent Fuel Rods at Plant Pose Big Risk
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Deconstructing the Japanese Nuclear Plant Design
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Lessons From Chernobyl for Japan
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Regulatory failures in the nuclear industry in Japan
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Former Inspector Complains of Regulators' Practices
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Japan Assesses Older Nuclear Plants
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Japanâs Leaders Fret as Nuclear Shutdown Nears
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Japan's Ex-Premier, Naoto Kan, Condemns Nuclear Power
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The containment system for GE's Mark 1 Nuclear Reactors
03/15/2011
The containment system for GE's Mark 1 Nuclear Reactors is not as robust as other reactors. It is cheaper to build. But it creates unacceptable risks in the event of a failure in the reactor's cooling systems, as ocurred at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Japan.
Grouped Articles
Design of G.E.'s Mark 1 Nuclear Reactors Shows Weaknesses
New York Times 03/15/2011
U.S. Calls Radiation âExtremely Highâ and Urges Deeper Caution in Japan
New York Times 03/16/2011
Spent Fuel Rods at Plant Pose Big Risk
Wall Street Journal 03/17/2011
Deconstructing the Japanese Nuclear Plant Design
New York Times 03/19/2011
Lessons From Chernobyl for Japan
New York Times 03/19/2011
Bid to 'Protect Assets' Slowed Reactor Fight
Wall Street Journal 03/19/2011
The nuclear power industry in Asia in the wake of the Japanese disaster
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Grouped Articles
India Starts Nuclear Reactor After Lengthy Delays
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Japan’s move to restart a nuclear reactor is a good decision - The Washington Post
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Nuclear Industry Likely to Reassess Safety Systems
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Emerging Economies Move Ahead With Nuclear Plans
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Design of G.E.'s Mark 1 Nuclear Reactors Shows Weaknesses
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Dozens of Reactors in Quake Zones
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The nuclear power industry in China after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan
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China National Nuclear to Raise $2.6 Billion in IPO
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China Wants ‘Made in China’ Nuclear Reactors
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Japan’s move to restart a nuclear reactor is a good decision - The Washington Post
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China’s Nuclear Vision Collides With Villagers’ Fears
New York Times 11/21/2015
Japan Ignored Warning of Nuclear Vulnerability
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The nuclear power industry in India in the wake of the disaster in Japan
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Japan Seeks Deal to Sell Reactors to India
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India Starts Nuclear Reactor After Lengthy Delays
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India Nuclear Power Corp Implementing 36 Projects
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Economist 12/17/2015
What They Said: Nuclear Lessons India Can Learn From Japan
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Japan Ignored Warning of Nuclear Vulnerability
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The nuclear power industry in Europe in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan
03/13/2011
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Japan's Nuclear Crisis Stokes Fear in Europe
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French Firms Face New Fears Over Reactors
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Atomic Plan Stirs German Elections
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Design of G.E.'s Mark 1 Nuclear Reactors Shows Weaknesses
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Dozens of Reactors in Quake Zones
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Nuclear regulatory systems in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan
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Questions about the effectiveness of nuclear plant regulation in preventing accidents from different causes. Concern about nuclear safety systems and the design of nuclear plants.
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Crisis Revives Doubts on Regulation
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How Nuclear Reactors Work ... And the Dangers When They Don't
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Design of G.E.'s Mark 1 Nuclear Reactors Shows Weaknesses
New York Times 03/15/2011
Lessons From Chernobyl for Japan
New York Times 03/19/2011
Bid to 'Protect Assets' Slowed Reactor Fight
Wall Street Journal 03/19/2011
Russian Officials Enlist Mussels to Track Radiation
Wall Street Journal 03/18/2011
Safety record and maintenance practices at the Fukushima nuclear plant
06/11/2010
A Wall Street Journal analysis of the safety record of this plant with a 1970's design nuclear reactors. The safety record is worse than other plants in Japan, the analysis shows. Experts say the maintenance practices at the plant contributed to the meltdown of the nuclear reactors, as the spent fuel was removed from the nuclear vessel during maintenance. In the U.S. the spent fuel is kept inside the reactor vessel for maintenance, to give extra protection. See practices for storing spent fuel rods of China and Germany, which differ from Japan and US practice.
Grouped Articles
The Oil Disaster Is About Human, Not System, Failure
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Japan Plant Had Troubled History
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Officials Expect 'Ups and Downs' in Reactor Fight
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Fukushima Plant Warnings Went Unheeded
New York Times 03/21/2011
Japan Ignored Warning of Nuclear Vulnerability
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Nuclear Plants Fail to Report Defects, Report Says
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The human faces behind the Japanese earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster
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Grouped Articles
Vanishing act by Japanese executive during nuclear crisis raises questions - The Washington Post
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Amid Fight to Stem Threat, Tepco Worker's Email Reveals Personal Struggle
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In Ishinomaki, Japan, stories of survival and loss - The Washington Post
Washington Post 03/30/2011
For one Japanese neighborhood, a tsunami and radiation end a way of life - The Washington Post
Washington Post 03/30/2011
Wall Street Journal 03/30/2011
Japanese fireman finds fame as a hero -; and father of a teen underwear model - The Washington Post
Washington Post 03/31/2011
Russia's nuclear power industry after the nuclear plant disaster in Japan
04/28/2011
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Russia Proposes Stricter Rules for Nuclear Safety
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Design Flaw Fueled Nuclear Disaster
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Russia to Extend Life of Aging Reactors
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Nuclear Critic Loses Japan Election
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The U.S. Nuclear Power Industry in the wake of the Japanese disaster
03/13/2011
The partial meltdowns at some Japanese nuclear plants after the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011 has raised new questions about safety.
Grouped Articles
Nuclear Power Firms Feel Squeeze
Wall Street Journal 03/06/2015
Japan’s move to restart a nuclear reactor is a good decision - The Washington Post
Washington Post 08/20/2015
TVA Cleared to Start First New U.S. Nuclear Power Plant in Nearly 20 Years
Wall Street Journal 10/23/2015
Japan Woes May Impede U.S. Nuclear Push
New York Times 03/13/2011
Second Explosion at Reactor as Technicians Try to Contain Damage
New York Times 03/14/2011
U.S. Nuclear Plants Have Same Risks as Japan Plants
New York Times 03/13/2011
The nuclear power industry in Germany following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan
09/06/2010
Grouped Articles
Germany Agrees to Extend Life of Nuclear Plants
New York Times 09/06/2010
Atomic Plan Stirs German Elections
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Berlin's Energy Strategy in Doubt
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Japan Ignored Warning of Nuclear Vulnerability
Wall Street Journal 03/23/2011
In Germany, Merkelâs Party Faces Historic Election Losses After Shift in Nuclear Stance
New York Times 03/27/2011
Japan Crisis Dims Nuclear Plans
Wall Street Journal 03/30/2011
The causes of the nuclear meltdown of reactors at Fukushima Daiichi's plant in Japan
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Grouped Articles
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Design Flaw Fueled Nuclear Disaster
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Reactor Core Melted Fully, Japan Says
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Report blasts Japan’s preparation for, response to Fukushima disaster - The Washington Post
Washington Post 07/06/2012
Japan Fukushima Nuclear Crisis Called âMan-Madeâ
New York Times 07/05/2012
The safety failures that could have been prevented with stronger oversight and control for the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster
03/21/2011
The independent parliamentary panel in Japan concuded in its July 2012 Report that the nuclear accident at the Fukushima plant was "a profoundly man-made event." Here in its investigations after the accident the Wall Street Journal finds some of the safety flaws that could have been corrected but were not due to the compete lack of effectiveness of the safety agency and its failure to do its job. As a result licenses for forty year old nuclear reactor designs and installation designs were simply renewed without requiring changes or shutting down these reactors. It is these older designs that were also improperly installed that failed.
Linked Articles
Japan Plant Had Troubled History
Wall Street Journal 03/21/2011
Design Flaw Fueled Nuclear Disaster
Wall Street Journal 07/01/2011
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