Entergy Nuclear and NRC break safety promises at Palisades atomic reactor

Beyond Nuclear, in alliance with Don't Waste Michigan, has issued a media release accusing Entergy Nuclear of indefinitely postponing multiple, vital safety repairs -- and NRC of letting them get away with it. The 44 year old atomic reactor, which just began its NRC-approved 20 year license extension on March 24th, needs its reactor lid replaced, its steam generators replaced, its emergency sumps upgraded, and its fire protection regulations upgraded. In addition, Palisades' high-level radioactive waste dry cask storage -- just 100 yards from the water of Lake Michigan -- remains vulnerable to earthquakes; Palisades' indoor pool, storing many hundreds of tons of high-level radioactive waste, remains vulnerable to disruptions of the primary electric grid, as it lacks any backup power. Any one of these risks could lead to Chernobyl- or Fukushima-scale radioactivity releases in the heart of the Great Lakes, source of drinking water for 40 million people in the U.S., Canada, and many Native American First Nations.  (In the photo above, Mike Keegan, Alice Hirt, and Kevin Kamps of Don't Waste Michigan's board of director speak out against the reactor and radioactive waste risks at Palisades during the Aug. 2000 Nuclear-Free Great Lakes Action Camp; Palisades' cooling tower steam is visible in the background; the crosses bear the names of surrounding downwind communities that could be ruined in the event of a catastrophic radioactivity release). 

Please sign petition to Indian government to stop Jaitapur reactors

Please support Former Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy, Admiral L. Ramdas, by endorsing his letter of protest to Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, at the Indian government's decision to continue with the massive Jaitapur reactor project. Sign the petition today. As Admiral Ramdas writes:

"I am taking the unusual step of sending this direct request because I believe that the announcement by the PMO on the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl, to continue with the proposed French-built nuclear power park at Jaitapur is a serious mistake with long term implications for our people.

Along with several others I participated in the “Tarapur to Jaitapur” Yatra (march) in Maharashtra, to protest against the proposed nuclear plant in Jaitapur. We did not reach Jaitapur because many of us were detained/arrested for participating in this peaceful protest.

It is well known that the Jaitapur nuclear plant is on an earthquake-prone zone and the French EPR reactors have not yet been tested anywhere in the world. Surprisingly the government has rejected the demands to cancel the project, which will result in the loss of land and livelihoods for many. Further, the government has shown disregard for the views of the many scientists, academics, military and other citizens from the rest of the country calling for a review of its earlier decisions on nuclear power plants. "

Japanese anti-nuclear groups grill federal ministries over 20 millisievert/year "permissible" radiation dose for Fukushima school children

Japanese anti-nuclear power groups Green Action, Mihama-no-Kai, Fukuro-no-Kai, Mihama-no-Kai, and Friends of the Earth Japan met with various Japanese federal government ministries on May 2nd to urge that the 20 millisievert per year (or 2 rem per year) "allowable" radiation dose rate for children in determining usage of school yards and buildings can not stand and must be rescinded. Based on facts garnered from the meeting, the groups fired off a long series of pointed questions to the various Japanese federal government ministries, demanding answers.

Fukushima parents dish the dirt in protest over radiation levels

"Furious parents in Fukushima have delivered a bag of radioactive playground earth to education officials in protest at moves to weaken nuclear safety standards in schools.

"Children can now be exposed to 20 times more radiation than was previously permissible. The new regulations have prompted outcry. A senior adviser resigned and the prime minister, Naoto Kan, was criticised by politicians from his own party." Guardian

Aide to Japan PM quits over radiation limits

"Al Jazeera's correspondent, Divya Gopalan, reporting from Tokyo, said the expert criticised the government’s handling of the crisis and said their action was knee-jerk.

Kosako said he could not stay on and allow the government to set what he said were improper radiation limits for elementary schools near the crippled plant.

Our correspondent said: 'The expert was particularly critical of the government’s nuclear radiation exposure limit. His biggest attack was the government limit for children, which he said was 20 times too high in Fukushima Prefecture.

'He said the radiation limit for children should have been much lower as they are being exposed to radiation, and that his recommendations were ignored.' " Al Jazeera