Sep 29, 2024: The case against restarting Three Mile Island’s Unit-1

From MSNBC:

The Swiss Cabinet on Wednesday called for the decommissioning of the country's five nuclear power reactors and new energy sources to replace them.

The recommendation by the seven-member Federal Council will be debated in parliament, which is expected to make a final decision next month. If approved, the reactors would go offline between 2019 and 2034 after they reach their average lifespan of 50 years, unless their use could be safely extended for a few more years.

Switzerland has four nuclear power plants with a total of five reactors.

The country will keep the reactors running as long as they are safe, but gradually hopes to turn to entirely non-nuclear sources of power, Energy Minister Doris Leuthard and other Swiss energy officials said.

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SUSQUEHANNA STEAM ELECTRIC STATION, UNITS 1 AND 2 - REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RE: 2011 DECOMMISSIONING FUNDING STATUS REPORT (TAC NOS. ME5542 AND ME5543)

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Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, Units 1 and 2 – Request for Additional Information Re: 2011 Decommissioning Funding Status Report (TAC Nos. ME5542 and ME5543)

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THREE MILE ISLAND STATION, UNIT 1 - NRC TEMPORARY INSTRUCTION 2515t 183 INSPECTION REPORT 05000289/201 1 009

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Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Units 2 and 3 - Request for Additional Information Regarding Relief Request I4R-52 Concerning Alternatives to Reactor Vessel Weld Examinations
 
Adams Accession No. ML111390152

Eric:
 
My group, the Foundation for Resilient Societies, has a proposal for safety enhancements to spent fuel pools at nuclear plants. Backup cooling power would be provided by solar panels and other unattended, high reliability electric generation. This could prevent spent fuel pool fires and radiation releases.
 
Our proposal has been submitted to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the form of a Petition for Rulemaking. PRM-50-96 is the only Petition for Rulemaking currently on the NRC docket for 2011. On May 6, the NRC published the petition in the Federal Register for comment:
 
http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/rulemaking-ruleforum/petitions-by-year/2011/
 
A blog moderated by the NRC is covering the status of the petition. Already, there are some very interesting public comments on the blog:
 
http://public-blog.nrc-gateway.gov/2011/04/22/the-nrc-were-ready-to-respond/
 
A full copy of the petition can be downloaded from:
 
                www.resilientsocieties.org
 
If people in your group would comment on the petition, either on the NRC blog or as a formal comment for NRC rulemaking, this would further the discussion about safety enhancements for spent fuel pools. The deadline for formal comments is July 20, 2011. Comments on the NRC blog before this date would be very helpful as well.
 
A notice on your website about the petition would be ideal, if you can do this and believe it would fit with your group’s goals.
 
Many thanks for considering this. If you have questions, please email thomasp@resilientsocieties.org or call at the number below.
 
Thomas Popik
Foundation for Resilient Societies
603-321-1090
 

In a quick review of the last week's Fukushima global coverage, there was a modest burst in  global coverage at the beginning of the week, but it quickly dropped off as only international wire services were doing any coverage, and even coverage in Japan dropped of on Sunday. There is clearly many stories still being investigated from the quake primer to on Friday where TEPCo acknowledged that it is on the brink of economic failure. 

Sunday, May 22nd, 2011

• TEPCO - Plant Status of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (as of 3:00 pm, May 22)
• Asahi Shimbun - Incoming TEPCO president determined to end crisis
• Asahi Shimbun - Record loss may be only the beginning for TEPCO
• Japan Times - Kan, Wen, Lee bolster disaster plans - Alex Martin
• Modern Tokyo Times - Fukushima Nuclear Accident: Stunning New Revelations Regarding Unit #1 Meltdown - Vojin Joksimovich, PhD
• AP Google - Japan, China, South Korea hold summit in Tokyo
• AFP Google - Japan 'plans solar panels for all new buildings'
• AFP Google - Erratic information fuels mistrust of TEPCO - Hiroshi Hiyama
• AFP Google - China to ease trade bans on Japan imports - Yuka Ito
• Global Research - Nuclear Power Plants: Understanding Boiling Water Reactor Systems At Fukushima - Lucas Whitefield Hixson
• Reuters - Japan quake reconstruction may cost up to $184 billion: Yosano - Leika Kihara
• Reuters - Special Report-Inside Tepco's bailout: Japan Inc saves its own
• Reuters - Corrected-Japan PM: must review oversight of nuclear power - Shinichi Saoshiro
• Xinhua News - 250 tons of radioactive water leaks from nuclear plant into sea early May: TEPCO
• BBC News - Japan nuclear: Kan, Lee and Wen agree early warning

Saturday, May 21st, 2011

• Daily Yomiuri - Kan halted seawater injection / Operations stopped for 55 minutes over fears of 're-criticality'

• Daily Yomiuri - Govt must share burden of compensation for N-crisis
• Japan Times - Put the effort into renewables - Naoshi Koriyama
• Japan Times - Hamaoka condenser pipes cracked
• Japan Times - 20 terabecquerels of radioactive materials flowed out to Pacific
• Japan Times - East Asia's top leaders meet near nuke plant
• Japan Times - U.N. initiates blanket study of nuke crisis
• Japan Times - Sources: Kan halted cooling day after quake
• Japan Times - Nuclear policy was once sold by Japan's media - Philip Brasor
• Japan Times - U.S. court victories show how to get rid of nuclear plants - Stephen Hesse
• Japan Today - TEPCO pays Y219 mil to 21 advisers annually
• Japan Today - Total 250 tons of radioactive water leaked into sea early May: TEPCO
• Mainichi Daily News - Hiroshima monk to invite Fukushima students to A-bomb anniversary
• Mainichi Daily News - Calls for rescue of abandoned pets in Fukushima grow louder as time runs out
• Mainichi Daily News - Nuclear plant workers suffer internal radiation exposure after visiting Fukushima
• Mainichi Daily News - 302 students change schools over radiation fears
• Mainichi Daily News - SMBC to continue providing funds to crisis-hit Tokyo Electric
• Mainichi Daily News - China unlikely to ease import controls on Japan farm produce: experts
• Mainichi Daily News - Editorial: Death Of Nuclear Plant Worker Highlights Need For Proper Health Management
• Mainichi Daily News - Pipes inside condenser found damaged at Hamaoka nuclear plant
• Mainichi Daily News - Japan, S. Korea to cooperate on nuke safety, postquake recovery
• IAEA - Fukushima Nuclear Accident Update Log--Updates of 12 - 18 May 2011
• AP Google - China, SKorea leaders tour devastated Japan region
• AFP Google - UN launches study of Japan's nuclear disaster: Ban
• National Post blog - OpEd: The 'myth of safety' in Japan's nuclear plants - Peter Goodspeed
• Reuters - China and South Korea leaders visit Fukushima in show of support - Kim Kyung Hoon and Sui-Lee Wee
• Reuters - Leak from Japan reactor 100 times more than permitted - Risa Maeda
• RIA Novosti - Giant barge arrives at Fukushima plant to store radioactive water
• Xinhua News - Chinese premier visits, encourages quake-hit Japan

Friday, May 20th, 2011

• Daily Yomiuri - FROM SQUARE ONE / How dangerous is Hamaoka?
• Daily Yomiuri - FROM SQUARE ONE / Primer on the Tokai megaquake
• Daily Yomiuri - Nishioka's article spurs moves to unseat Kan
• Denki Shimbun - Plans for cooling reactors at Fukushima I NPS revised
• Denki Shimbun - Power industry requests for framework of aid with compensation for Fukushima accident
• Denki Shimbun - Opposition party calls for withdrawal of anti-warming law bill
• Japan Times - Crisis center kept in dark on SPEEDI data
• Japan Times - Tepco suffers record ¥1.24 trillion group loss as president takes the fall - Kazuaki Nagata
• Mainichi Daily News - Gov't nuclear watchdog holds conference to clear radiation misunderstanding
• Mainichi Daily News - TEPCO releases photos of manned mission into Fukushima nuke reactor building
• Mainichi Daily News - Gov't crisis center kept in dark over data on radiation dispersal
• Mainichi Daily News - Disasters send Japanese economy into recession
• Mainichi Daily News - TEPCO names managing director Nishizawa as next president
• Mainichi Daily News - Workers succeed in entering buildings of 3 troubled reactors: TEPCO
• Mainichi Daily News - Gov't nuclear commission failed to expand antidisaster zone in 2006
• Mainichi Daily News - Head of bankers' association denies TEPCO debt write-off
• Mainichi Daily News - Japan, China nuclear experts hold talks on Fukushima accident
• Mainichi Daily News - Fukushima residents still need to rely on nuclear plant for livelihoods
• Mainichi Daily News - Technique developed to stockpile radioactive cesium
• NIKKEI - Tepco Lurches To $15bn Loss, Warns Of Doubts About Survival
• NIKKEI - New Tepco President Talks Of 'Grave Responsibility'
• NIKKEI - New Tepco President Talks of 'Grave Responsibility'
• NIKKEI - Tepco Chief To Step Down 'For Causing Inconvenience'
• NIKKEI - Tepco Scraps Plan To Build 2 New Reactors
• NIKKEI - BOJ Gov Sees Supply Constraints Easing But Nuclear Problems Remain A Threat
• AP Google - Japan utility head resigns over nuclear crisis
• AFP Google - Japan's TEPCO posts record loss as president resigns - Hiroshi Hiyama
• AFP Google - Agony for Japan livestock farmers in nuclear crisis - Shingo Ito
• AFP Google - TEPCO to post huge loss, president to resign: reports
• BBC News - In pictures: Tsunami hits Fukushima nuclear power plant
• Bloomberg - Tepco President Resigns After Record Loss - Tsuyoshi Inajima and Michio Nakayama
• Platts - US nuclear lobby budgets $13 million for Fukushima response: sources - William Freebairn
• Reuters - Update 1-Japan power body: need reactor restart for summer demand - Michael Watson
• Reuters - Update 7-Tepco chief quits after $15 bln loss on nuclear crisis - James Topham
• Reuters - Tepco: prioritized operational knowledge in choosing insider - Taiga Uranaka
• Reuters - Tepco to scrap first four nuclear reactors at Fukushima Daiichi - Osamu Tsukimori
• Reuters - Japan's Tepco posts record $15 bln loss on nuclear crisis costs - Nathan Layne
• Reuters - Tepco president to be replaced by Managing Dir Nishizawa-Kyodo - Chang-Ran Kim
• UPI - Tepco chief resigns over nuclear crisis
• World Nuclear News - Japanese reactor shutdowns threaten power shortages
• World Nuclear News - Trillion-yen cost of tsunami
• World Nuclear News - Cold shutdown a must for Fukushima return
• Focus Taiwan - Government will not extend service of 1st nuke plant - Lin Shu-yuan and S.C. Chang
• Radio Taiwan - No plans to build more nuclear power plants: Ma
•  Xinhua News - China still needs to develop nuclear power, but at slower pace: expert
• Xinhua News - China-Japan-ROK meeting to enhance post-quake co-op, improve China-Japan relations - Chen Shilei, Li Zhongfa, Liu Hua
• Economic Times - Fukushima nuclear plant disaster to impact global nuclear power industry: Report
• Greenpeace International blog - Protest mounts against earthquake prone nuke plant

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

• TEPCO - Plant Status of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (as of 3:00 pm, May 19)
• Asahi Shimbun - TEPCO drastically revises cooling plan, but sticks to cold shutdown schedule - Eisuke Sasaki
• Asahi Shimbun - Utilities cry foul at moves to deregulate electricity market
• Daily Yomiuri - Govt eyeing utility reform / Kan considering separation of power generation, transmission
• Daily Yomiuri - Workers enter No. 3 reactor bldg
• Japan Times - Folly of official obfuscation - Hugh Cortazzi
• Japan Times - Manufacturers expect lasting quake impact
• Japan Times - Tepco told to avoid sale of national park land
• Japan Times - Yamaguchi might nix nuke plant via license
• Japan Times - OpEd: Lack of details worsens situation - John Bernhart
• Japan Times - OpEd: 'Contamination,' 'exposure' differ - William Ireton
• Mainichi Daily News - Japan gov't to revise nuclear design safety guidelines
• Mainichi Daily News - Kan suggests separating power generation, distribution in Japan
• Mainichi Daily News - Tohoku Electric to set up 800-meter-long levee near Onagawa plant
• Mainichi Daily News - Yamaguchi governor likely to reverse policy and say 'no' to construction of nuclear plant
• Mainichi Daily News - Cabinet adviser retracts remark about release of contaminated water
• Mainichi Daily News - Kan assures that nuclear-crisis-hit municipalities will be compensated
• Mainichi Daily News - Workers enter another reactor building at crippled Fukushima plant
• Mainichi Daily News - Japan PM to join China, S. Korea leaders to visit Fukushima
• Mainichi Daily News - Editorial: Gov't Attempt To Promote Clean Energy A Test Of Electric Power Policy Reform
• AFP Google - Japan falls back into recession after quake - Yuka Ito
• BBC News - Viewpoint: Possible future scenarios for Tokyo Electric - Penn Bowers
• Bloomberg - Tepco May Report 1.5 Trillion Yen Loss - Yusuke Miyazawa
• Bloomberg - Fukushima May Have Leaked Radiation Before Tsunami - Yuji Okada, Tsuyoshi Inajima and Shunichi Ozasa
• Power-Gen Worldwide - Five tons of seawater entered nuclear reactor at Hamaoka
• Reuters - Update 1-Tepco to announce record annual loss,replace pres-media - James Topham
• Reuters - Japan banking lobby head sees no need for Tepco debt waiver - Taiga Uranaka
• Reuters - Japan nuclear crisis still "very serious": IAEA head - David Brunnstrom
• Reuters - Update 1-Workers enter No.3 reactor at crippled Japan nuclear plant - Saito, Takenaka, Saoshiro and  Fujioka
• Reuters - Japan minister: impossible to build 14 new nuclear reactors-Kyodo - Chisa Fujioka
• Reuters - Tepco shareholders to be asked to help with crisis: Edano - Yoko Kubota
• Reuters - Quake knocks Japan into recession - Rie Ishiguro and Tetsushi Kajimoto
• World Nuclear News - Cold shutdown a must for Fukushima return
• World Nuclear News - Images show tsunami inpact
• Xinhua News - Japan's nuclear leak pushes up China's aquatic product export
• Xinhua News - TEPCO releases photos of tsunami water rushing into nuke plant
• Xinhua News - TEPCO workers enter Fukushima nuke power reactor building
• Xinhua News - Video shows ongoing recovery efforts at Fukushima

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

• Asahi Shimbun - Meltdowns also likely occurred at No. 2, No. 3 reactors of Fukushima plant
• Asahi Shimbun - Fumihiko Yoshida: Lessons of A-bomb should be applied to Fukushima disaster
• Asahi Shimbun - No. 2, No. 3 reactors remain volatile; meltdowns suspected - Hidenori Tsuboya
• Daily Yomiuri - Fukushima nuclear crisis must be resolved as scheduled
• Daily Yomiuri - Govt tries to deflect N-crisis criticism
• Daily Yomiuri - Radiation tests lacking / Nuclear plant workers unsure of internal exposure levels
• Daily Yomiuri - Poor estimates force timetable revision
• JapanToday - Tohoku Electric to set up 800-meter-long levee near Onagawa plant
• Japan Times - IAEA team to arrive Tuesday for Fukushima probe
• Japan Times - Workers enter building of reactor 2
• Japan Times - Failed venting tries linked to No. 2 damage
• Japan Times - Release of radioactive water made at request of U.S.: Cabinet adviser
• Japan Times - Japan offers WHO apology for nuclear crisis
• Mainichi Daily News - Shizuoka, Kanagawa governments oppose radiation screening order for tea leaves
• Mainichi Daily News - Nagasaki, Hiroshima to open permanent A-bomb exhibition in Geneva
• Mainichi Daily News - Editorial: Timetable to end nuclear crisis too optimistic
• Mainichi Daily News - Kan to review Japan's nuclear fuel cycle policy: Shii
• Mainichi Daily News - Gov't eyes nuke compensation payment process from around fall
• AP Google - PM: Japan's nuke regulators need more independence
• AFP Google - Japan's TEPCO debt waive call draws ire
• AFP Google - Japan TEPCO workers enter reactor building
• Bloomberg - Tepco Misleading Public Over Nuclear Crisis - Tsuyoshi Inajima and Yuji Okada
• Bloomberg - Price Says Tepco Timeline for Nuclear Cleanup 'Feasible': Video
• Bloomberg - Japanese Power Plants Damaged or Closed by Earthquake - Michio Nakayama and Yuji Okada
• CBS News - Japan may be world's biggest ship graveyard - Lucy Craft .
• Financial Times - Japan's nuclear embrace is looser but not yet broken - Mure Dickie
• Financial Times - Doubt over meltdown dispelled - Jonathan Soble
• New York Times - In Japan Reactor Failings, Danger Signs for the U.S. - Hiroko Tabuchi, Keith Bradsher and Matthew L. Wald
• New York Times - With Reactor Damage Thought to Be Worse, Tokyo Utility Sticks to Plan - Hiroko Tabuchi
• New York Times - Nuclear Energy — Crisis in Japan Update
• Nuclear Engineering - Unit 1 plan switches away from flooding
• Nuclear Street - New Comprehensive Video of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station with Status Update
• Nuclear Street - Progress Status of TEPCO's Roadmap towards Restoration from the Accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
• Reuters - Japan PM: must review oversight of nuclear power - Shinichi Saoshiro

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

• Oceania: Sydney Morning Herald - Nuclear power undimmed by Fukushima: Paladin - Barry Fitzgerald
• Asahi Shimbun - Editorial: Partisan bickering is wasting time in helping disaster victims
• Asahi Shimbun - More than 60% of voters support Hamaoka nuclear plant shutdown
• Daily Yomiuri - Quickly contain water leaks, radioactive contamination
• Daily Yomiuri - Grazing rights lost over 'radioactive' grass
• Daily Yomiuri - Ministries divided over radioactive tea
• Daily Yomiuri - Govt to give SDF big boost in disaster pay
• Daily Yomiuri - N-reactor cooling failed before tsunami
• The Diplomat - Japan Stuck With Nuclear Power - Victoria Tuke
• Japan Times - Vague plan for nuke evacuees - Alex Martin
• Japan Times - More nuclear reactor shutdowns lie ahead
• Japan Times - Reactor worker error comes to light - Minoru Matsutani and Masami Ito
• Japan Times - Plan to cool reactors revised but not timeline - Kazuaki Nagata and Minoru Matsutani
• Japan Times - Tepco loss to exceed ¥800 billion
• Japan Times - Worker error may have led to meltdown - Minoru Matsutani and Masami Ito
• Japan Times - Crisis plan revised but not timeline
• Mainichi Daily News - Gov't set to review growth strategy, shift energy focus
• Mainichi Daily News - IAEA team to visit Japan from May 24 to probe nuclear crisis
• Mainichi Daily News - Gov't panel to decide compensation for nuclear crisis by ranking mental distress
• Mainichi Daily News - TEPCO documents reveal chaos at Fukushima nuke plant after quake, tsunami
• Mainichi Daily News - Government releases new map of predicted radiation exposure
• Mainichi Daily News - Cooling system of Fukushima plant's No. 1 reactor not functioning before tsunami
• Mainichi Daily News - Nuclear safety commission chairman was quick to advise Kan that reactors needed venting
• Mainichi Daily News - Radioactive substance detected in green tea leaves in Ibaraki towns
• Mainichi Daily News - Mitsubishi UFJ chief blasts gov't over TEPCO rescue
• Mainichi Daily News - U.S. says safe to travel through area near crippled nuclear plant
• Mainichi Daily News - Diet approval on nuclear compensation scheme may not come soon
• NIKKEI - Tepco Amends Nuclear Plant Roadmap, Keeps 6-9 Month Deadline
• NIKKEI - Business Lobby Head Slams Govt On Tepco, Trade
• NIKKEI - 'Private-Private' Talks Needed On Tepco Debt Waiver: Finance Chief
• All Things Nuclear - TEPCO Says Core of Unit 1 Melted - David Wright
• AP Google - Japan sticks with timetable to resolve nuke crisis
• AFP Google - Japan disaster not similar to Chernobyl: officials
• AFP Google - Japan to review post-quake energy, economy strategies
• BBC News - Japan nuclear crisis: Fukushima shutdown for January
• Bellona - TEPCO officials confirm meltdown in Fukushima reactor No 1 while water levels uncontrollably rise and thousands more evacuate 
• Bloomberg - Japan to Begin Nuclear Compensation in October-January - Yuji Okada
• Bloomberg - Japan Says Tepco Lenders Must Share Burden - Shigeru Sato and Toru Fujioka
• Energy Tribune - Without Nuclear, Japan Is In The Dark - Kirsten Korosec
• Financial Times - The race to secure Tepco's financial stability - Mure Dickie
• Greenpeace blog - Fukushima meltdown: two months later, Japan's government still drags its feet - Greg McNevin
• The Guardian - Fukushima reactors will be stable by January, operator insists - Justin McCurry in Tokyo
• IEEE Spectrum - "The Scale of the Accident Was Beyond My Imagination" - Eliza Strickland
• NIRS - Fukushima Update
• Radio Netherlands - Difficult future for Dutch farmer in Japan - Sigrid Deters
• Reuters - Factbox:What Tepco aims to achieve at its crippled nuclear plant - Shinichi Saoshiro and Kiyoshi Takenaka
• Reuters - U.N. nuclear agency to send expert mission to Japan - Fredrik Dahl
• Reuters - Japan says to try to avoid tax hike for nuclear compensation - Chisa Fujioka
• Reuters - Japan PM: govt will support those hit by nuclear crisis - Tetsushi Kajimoto
• Reuters - Tepco revises plan to stabilize plant, sticks to timeline - Shinichi Saoshiro and Kiyoshi Takenaka
• Reuters - WRAPUP 5-Japan keeps Fukushima shutdown target despite setbacks - Kiyoshi Takenaka and Shinichi Saoshiro
• Reuters - Q+A-What's going on at Japan's damaged nuclear power plant? - Shinichi Saoshiro and Mayumi Negishi
• Reuters - Japan April nuclear plant usage falls to 3-year low - Osamu Tsukimori
• Reuters - BOJ warns economy in severe state, beating deflation not enough - Leika Kihara
• UPI - New plan for stabilizing Fukushima
• UPI - Chaos reigned after quake at nuke plant
• Wall Street Journal - UK Nuclear Report On Fukushima Implications Due Wednesday - Selina Williams
• Washington Post - In Japan, is a Tepco apology enough? - Chico Harlan
• World Nuclear News - Revisions to Fukushima restoration roadmap
• World Nuclear News - Theory for Fukushima Daiichi 4 explosion
• Xinhua News - In pictures: current situation in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
• Xinhua News - Japanese TEPCO to stick with original nuke shutdown plan, despite problems
• Xinhua News - Japan's troubled nuke plant keeps April shutdown timetable: TEPCO
• Xinhua News - IAEA sends international experts commission to Japan

Monday May 16th, 2011

• Asahi Shimbun - Anti-nukes songs go viral after mainstream outlets reluctant to play them - Daisuke Igarashi and Daisuke Nakai
• Asahi Shimbun - TEPCO rethinks flooding reactor No. 1 after leakage found
• Daily Yomiuri - 56% want govt to hike crisis funds / 59% unhappy with efforts since quake
• The Diplomat - A Fukushima Update
• Japan Times - Rosy telling of nuke response, warnings headed for IAEA
• Japan Times - Analysis: Fledgling DPJ failing amid unkept promises, flak over disaster response - Brinsley, Sakamaki and Hirokawa
• Japan Times - Rosy telling of nuke response, warnings headed for IAEA
• Japan Times - When it comes to mighty Tepco, pride goes before the fall
• Japan Times - Tepco prepares to start pumping tainted water from No. 3
• Japan Times - Tepco CDSs leap on loan writeoff remark
• Japan Times - Kan sticks to nuke crisis road map
• JapanToday - Meltdown may have occurred also at Nos. 2, 3 reactors
• JapanToday - TEPCO plans to book group net loss of over Y800 bil for FY 2010
• Japan Today - Quake damage, nuclear crisis force 169 schools to relocate or close
• Japan Times - Kan sticks to nuke crisis road map
• Japan Times - Tepco ready to start pumping tainted water from No. 3
• Mainichi Daily News - Kan says meltdown unlikely to slow schedule for bringing nuclear crisis under control
• Mainichi Daily News - TEPCO admits nuclear meltdown occurred at Fukushima reactor 16 hours after quake
• Mainichi Daily News - Local bodies struggling to locate evacuees eligible for relief funds
• Mainichi Daily News - More villagers near troubled nuclear plant evacuate as no-entry zone expanded
• Mainichi Daily News - Over 60 percent of public supports suspension of operations at Hamaoka plant: Mainichi poll
• Mainichi Daily News - Nuclear power plant disaster highlights importance of diverse safety measures
• NIKKEI - Tepco Rethinking Plan For Cooling Reactors
• PanOrient News - TEPCO Must Immediately Disclose All Information on Fukushima Reactors:Greenpeace
• YokosoNews - 311 Disaster Update #36 - 5/17/2011
• AP Google - Japanese in expanded nuclear zone leave homes
• AFP Google - Japan consumer confidence dives at record pace
• AFP Google - Japan's nuclear crisis timetable on track: PM
• AsianWeek - Fukushima, Japan's Happiest Nuclear Power Plant - Arthur Hu
• The Atlantic - Meanwhile, the Disaster at Fukushima Continues - Alexis Madrigal
• BBC News - Giant barge to store radioactive water from Japan nuclear plant
• Bellona - TEPCO officials confirm meltdown in Fukushima reactor No 1 while water levels uncontrollably rise and thousands more evacuate 
• Bloomberg - U.S. Ends Emergency Japan Watch, Says Reactors Stabilizing - Simon Lomax
• Bloomberg - Kan Says Timetable to Resolve Nuclear Crisis Hasn't Changed - Yuji Okada and Takashi Hirokawa
• Bloomberg - Tepco Says Fuel in 2 Reactors May Have Melted - Michio Nakayama and Yuji Okada
• Bloomberg - E.ON's Oskarshamn-1 Nuclear Reactor in Sweden Starts Production - Lars Paulsson
• CounterCurrents - Fukushima's Secret Radionuclides - Mary Hamer M.D
• New York Times - Japanese Officials Ignored or Concealed Dangers - Norimitsu Onishi and Martin Fackler
• Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes - TEPCO concedes severe fuel damage at Fukushima - Dan Yurman
• Reuters - Update 1-TEPCO rethinks plan to cool reactors - Nikkei - Soham Chatterjee
• Reuters - Update 1-Tepco to start compensating Fukushima evacuees by fall-Nikkei - Aniket Basu
• Reuters - Fukushima nuclear plant not built to take megaquake - Mari Saito and Kevin Krolicki
• Reuters - Moody's cuts Tepco to one notch above junk on compensation plan - Nathan Layne
• Reuters - Tokyo Electric: reviewing records of how nuclear crisis unfolded - Kevin Krolicki and Chisa Fujioka
• UPI - PM: Shutdown of reactors by year-end
• Wall Street Journal - Cores Damaged at Three Reactors - Mitsuru Obe
• World Nuclear News - Fukushima fuel melt confirmed
• Xinhua News - Most Japanese dissatisfied with gov't post-quake efforts
• Xinhua News - New evacuations begin at Fukushima

From Yahoo News:

Japan's Tokyo Electric Power on Friday posted a record $15 billion loss and its under-fire president resigned to take responsibility for the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl 25 years ago.

The beleaguered utility posted an annual net loss of 1.247 trillion yen ($15 billion), the biggest ever for a non-financial Japanese firm. The company did not give an earnings forecast for the current financial year.

...

Recent TEPCO updates have confirmed experts' fears that fuel rods inside reactor one had been fully exposed to the air and had melted, and that reactors two and three were likely in a similar condition.

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Third Committee Meeting: May 23-24, 2011 Atlanta, Georgia

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The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will meet with the public to discuss the NRC's assessrhent of safety performance at Three Mile fsland Power Station Unit 1 for 2010, as described in the annual assessment letter dated March 4,2011. The NRC will respond to questions on specific performance issues at the plant and our role in ensuring safe plant operationg.

Download ML111400039 (PDF)