The Fukushima Daiichi Disaster and Implications for New Nuclear Power Plants - Research Paper Example

? The Fukushima Daiichi disaster and the future implications for building new nuclear power plants in the United s Introduction Japan is known to be positioned next to the Pacific Ring of Fire that encircles the Pacific Ocean. The surrounded area is observed to be typified by volcanoes, faults and mountains. The area of the Pacific Ring of Fire has been assessed as quite prone to earthquakes and is often known to frequently suffer such calamities. It requires to be mentioned in this context that the earthquake that took place in March, 2011 was measured to be amongst the most severe in the entire globe in history. The calamity was observed to have taken place in the eastern coast, Tohoku in Japan. The severe tremors of the quake were experienced at Fukushima as well (American Nuclear Society, 2012). The above mentioned catastrophe was later found to have significantly affected the ‘nuclear power station’ or rather the nuclear plant that is situated at Fukushima Daiichi in Japan. This disaster was believed to have triggered the most far-reaching ejection of radioactivity in contrast to the Chernobyl mishap that took place in 1986. This particular radioactivity release was considered to be even shoddier than the case or disaster of Three Mile Island that took place in 1979 in the United States. However, the occurrence of Fukushima Daiichi was considered to differ from the stated incidents of Chernobyl and Three Mile Island as the devastation that occurred at Fukushima was learnt to be triggered owing to natural tragedies which was a massive earthquake chased by tsunami. The discharge of the radioactive gases was regarded as a consequence of the natural disaster rather than any malfunction with regard to the equipments and even ruled out any chances of human faults. The tsunami was measured to have ruptured the systems that helped in providing backup power and which were required for the reason of cooling down the reactors that were present in the definite plant. The breakdowns of the backup systems as a result made a large number of those reactors go through hydrogen explosions, fuel melting and ultimately radioactive releases (Holt, Campbell, & Nikitin, 2012). The paper will intend to focus on the present situation of the mishap that occurred at Fukushima Daiichi along with providing an insight into the various policies or stands taken by the US after this incident. The Accident at Fukushima Daiichi in Japan The earthquake that took place in March, 2011 in the eastern coast of the island Honshu in Japan resulted in initiating a mechanical shutdown of around eleven nuclear plants out of fifty five. Majority of the shutdowns were found to have carried on without any kind of further events. However, the Fukushima and the Onagwa nuclear plants were found to be the ones that were closely located towards the epicenter owing to which severe damages were suffered by those plants. The plant at Fukushima Daiichi, as a result of the earthquake, accompanied with the tsunami experienced hydrogen outbursts and grave damages in relation to nuclear fuel which triggered the discharge of a noteworthy quantity of radioactive elements in the surrounding environment (Holt, Campbell, & Nikitin, 2012). The contamination of the surrounding environment, with the radioactive elements that originated from the plants, compelled the moving out of communities from the adjacent or the neighboring areas till 25 miles. The forceful move out of the communities resulted in disturbing the regular life of around 100,000 residents, majority of whom were believed to remain banned from accessing their respective homes for an indefinite period. The evacuation activities made in this context are considered to have checked the degree of radiation exposure with regard to the concerned population from surpassing the Japanese authoritarian boundaries in majority of the incidences. However, the consequences of the exposure to the radioactive gases with regard to the residents were measured not to be quite grave. Future deaths as well as sicknesses arising from the emission have been predicted as improbable. It requires stating with regard to the mentioned context that a few long-term consequences relating to health along with chances of cancer were believed to be potential in that particular area. The workers who were employed at the location of the plant were also found to be open towards the radioactive elements in terms of largely increased degree of radiation. This resulted in two of the employees or staffs to experience radiation burns as a consequence of wading in the infected water (Holt, Campbell, & Nikitin, 2012). The recuperation from the witnessed adversity focused on the requirement of reinstating the cooling systems of the three reactors that were found to be gravely damaged along with putting a stop on the radioactive discharges that were getting released in the water as well as in the air. The recovery activities and endeavors even got impeded owing to the constantly increasing degree of radiation along with grave structural harm with regard to the concerned plant (Holt, Campbell, & Nikitin, 2012). Current Situation at Fukushima The disastrous situation of the nuclear plants which resulted from the earthquake as well as tsunami in Fukushima is referred to as an incident that occurred a year back. However, the radiological as well as nuclear condition with the regard to the plants yet remains to be quite severe. Three of the reactors, were supposed to be holding 259 tons of fuel concerning radioactive reactor. The major portion of the fuels were recorded to have melted and settled down at the base of the vessels which are regarded as steel reactors along with on the solid bottom of the structure of containment. Furthermore, 496 tons of fuel which has been measured to be increasingly radioactive in nature is believed to be still present inside cooling pools of those four reactors that were found to be completely damaged. Additionally, Tokyo Electric is identified to be the responsible body for the reason of making certain of the cooling of the existing quantity of fuel owing to the creation of heat which is predicted to carry on for quite some years (Burnie, 2012). The state in relation to the individual reactors has been recognized to differ as a few breaks or splits in relation to the containment are supposed to facilitate the escape of some quantity of the fuel into the surroundings. The requirement of cooling the dissolved form of fuel has given rise to a critical circumstance which has ensnared Tokyo Electric by a large extent. A huge quantity of water also needs to get pumped inside the plants which is continued to be done by Tokyo Electric. It has been learnt that Tokyo Electric pumps-in water of around 6,000 tons every week in order to ensure the cooling of the dissolved fuel. However, simultaneously it also requires taking notice of the fact that the level of water is maintained below a definite altitude or it might result in spreading out in the Pacific Ocean which would result in further grave and complicated consequences. The situation is perceived to be quite crucial as any kind of collapse in terms of cooling, for instance, electricity failure and further destruction owing to earthquake entails increased likeliness in witnessing the fall down of the structures which would again lead to melting down of the fuel along with radiation discharges (Burnie, 2012). Several endeavors have been found to be made by Tokyo Electric in order to establish adequate storage power of the tanks with regard to the entire water of 175,000 tons which has been processed by it in relation to the concerned and affected site. The further establishment of a steel barricade underground that is supposed to run hundred meters long is also being planned amid the ocean and the existing reactors with the intention to thwart additional contagion of the underground water. It has been also found to be recommended in a particular report that plans are being made for the reason of establishing a solid blockade under the complete area of the site. However, this idea is not just considered to be an enormous and costly engineering challenge but is also perceived to be an unproductive concept (Burnie, 2012). Tokyo Electric has been reported to come to an agreement with the government run agencies for the purpose of commencing the work concerning the clearing of the already used or exhausted nuclear fuel within a time period of few years. An estimate has been made by Tokyo Electric according to which the entire site decommissioning is expected to continue for above 40 years which is even expected to extend further. It is in this context that the current situation at Fukushima has been measured to be quite critical. Numerous workers or the employees of the plant have been learnt to be still struggling hard to keep up an increasingly hazardous and fragile location or site. They are further found to deal with strongly dissolved radioactive fuel, immense quantity with regard to gallons of increasingly polluted water along with such soaring degree of radiation that admission to few of the chief areas are restricted (Burnie, 2012). Strengthening the Regulation of Nuclear Power generation in the United States The incident of Fukushima Daiichi raised serious concerns regarding the aspect of nuclear safety all around the world which turned out to be amongst the topmost priority in the United States (US). The issue of nuclear safety has been learnt to be administered by the federal guidelines or directives in the US and the facets related to it are considered by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The immense destructions, as a consequence of the earthquake and the tsunami made to the nuclear plant at Fukushima Daiichi in Japan, was found to have raised grave queries in Congress regarding the probable insinuations of the mishap for safety guidelines regarding the nuclear plants, spreading out of nuclear energy in the US and also the guiding principles relating to radioactive wastes. The tsunami hampered the electric connection at the nuclear plant as a result of which the core of the reactors got overheated which released the radioactive elements (Holt, 2011). Major hydrogen blasts were found to have occurred owing to the factor of overheating which discharged radioactive gases into the atmosphere or the surroundings. Numerous Senate as well as House hearings have been found to be kept on hold in relation to the accidents accompanied with the introduction of numerous bills with regard to the nuclear safety. The planned or anticipated bills were further predicted to holdup all the fresh nuclear permits as well as licenses till the time higher standards of nuclear safety were exercised or practiced. The bills were even expected to spread out the evacuation arrangement for the nuclear reactors in the US and also trigger US endeavors for the reason of making the international agreements stronger in relation to nuclear safety. In addition, there has been estimated to be a probable augmentation regarding the necessities or the specifications in relation to fuel management in the sites and eminent design basis hazards with regard to the nuclear plants (Holt, 2011). Implications for New Nuclear Power Reactors in the US The nuclear power has been learnt to be offered or made available by the assistance of 104 numbers of commercial reactors that are licensed to function at 65 different nuclear locations or sites in the US. Following the nuclear mishaps that took place in Japan, the NRC in the US made an announcement for conducting a complete safety assessment in relation to all the 104 nuclear reactors throughout the US. The implications for the fresh nuclear reactors in the US would mean that the expenses are probably to increase for the presently functioning and the expected freshly established nuclear plants. The expenses have been predicted to experience an augmentation owing to the increased amount of specifications for the reason of on-site used up management of fuel along with superior design basis hazards. The extensions pertaining to the licenses for the present reactors are likely to witness further inspection with results relying on the extent to which the plants would be competent to satisfy the fresh specifications. The storage capacity with regard to the plant site, combined storage in the long run along with geological removal of the used up quantity of the fuel further entails high possibilities of getting reassessed with fresh considerations owing to the experience related to storage pool at Fukushima (United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, 2011). Results of the Comprehensive Review of Nuclear Reactor Safety in the US The mishap that occurred in Fukushima Daiichi raised grave concerns in relation to the safety aspects of the nuclear plants especially in the US which made President Barack Obama order to carry out a broad review of the safety factors in relation to the nuclear reactors in the country. The assessment was carried out by NRC and issuing three instant effective instructions or rather specifications that are required to be implemented by the plants in the US. The assessment of the nuclear plants made NRC decide on the issued specifications or standards that are expected to be mandatorily abided by the nuclear plants in the nation. The review ensured the safety of the plants but also focused on the need of installation of improved equipments for the reason of keeping a check on the water levels with regard to individual reactor’s pool of used up fuel. Another requirement was identified in case of boiling-water reactors which contained the “Mark I” or “Mark II” containment constructions. The enhancement of the venting methods in relation to the mentioned kind of boiling-water reactors were ordered by NRC. The other need specified was the installation of enhanced safe equipments and also to have adequate equipments for providing support with respect to the existing reactors (DiSavino, 2012). The current practices or the ways of carrying out operations in the nuclear plants was reviewed by the NRC as mentioned above. Certain specifications were issued by the NRC, which were needed to be abided by the existing 104 nuclear plants and even the new ones that were under construction or were being planned. The specifications were formulated in order to further enhance the safety aspect of the nuclear plants. One of the conditions or requirements was found to be applicable for just 31 of the nuclear plants of the total 104. Therefore, this suggests that no major safety issues or threats were detected in the nuclear plants of US. However, the issues or problems arising out of seismic hazards which could lead to grave nuclear accidents were identified (Spencer, 2011). Conclusion and Recommendations The assessment report made by NRC was found to be deficient in rational, methodical and coherent aspects. There requires being the existence of a structure which would entail the mentioned aspects for the reason of sufficiently defending as well as striking a proper balance in terms of risk considerations along with defense-in-depth. The further steps for nuclear power and implications of safety, education, economic and waste disposal would engage the requirement of sound and self-governing regulating agencies. The employees are further required to be properly educated regarding the safety culture as well as plant management. They also need to grow their awareness adequately regarding the requirement for protected retrofits and call for the requirement for enhanced international assistance (Ferguson, 2012). The further steps in relation to education would entail the requirement for enhanced and increasingly translucent information made available to the general public. It would also require developing a lucid way of communicating regarding the multifaceted notions such as radiation exposure along with informing the political leaders. The following steps in relation to the aspect of economics would further include the assessment of the external expenses for every individual source of energy and involving these expenses in the related prices along with contending for energy alternatives with regard to a smooth economic field. Finally, the steps related to the facet of waste disposal would include the constant attempts with regard to research and development (R&D) into possible proliferation-resistant ways for the reason of reprocessing the fissionable materials. It would also engage constant R&D with regard to technologies related to fast reactors along with progressing forward with provisional used up fuel storage by making use of the storage casks that are believed to be dry (Ferguson, 2012). References American Nuclear Society (2012). Fukushima Daiichi: Ans. committee report. The American Nuclear Society Special Committee on Fukushima, pp. 1-40. Burnie, S. (2012). Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear accident: Current status and lessons. Issue Brief. DiSavino, S. (2012). U.S. implements new Fukushima nuclear safety policy. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/09/us-utilites-nrc-fukushima-idUSBRE8281AC20120309 Ferguson, C. D. (2012). Potential implications of the Fukushima Daiichi accident for nuclear power. Federation of American Scientists. Holt, M., Campbell, R. J., & Nikitin, M. B. (2012). Fukushima nuclear disaster. Congressional Research Service, pp. 1-12. Holt, M. (2011). Nuclear energy policy. Congressional Research Service, pp. 1-33. Spencer, J. (2011). U.S. nuclear policy after Fukushima: Trust but modify. Retrieved from http://moderntokyotimes.com/2011/05/31/u-s-nuclear-policy-after-fukushima-trust-but-modify/ United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. (2011). Decommissioning nuclear power plants. Fact Sheet. Bibliography Andrews, A. & Folger, P. (2012). Nuclear power plant design and seismic safety considerations. Congressional Research Service, pp. 1-38. Kerth, R., Dutzik, T. & Madsen, T. (2011). Unacceptable risk: Two decades of “Close Calls,” leaks and other problems at U.S. nuclear reactors. Iowa PIRG Education Fund, pp. Read More