North Anna Nuclear Power Plant on Emergency Backup Power Due to Earthquake

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903461304576526642400085456.html

Seven other nuclear power plants in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey have declared “unusual events.”

“ 

* Two reactors at Virginia plant shut after quake

* Event a “wake-up call” for US nuclear industry-Scientist

* Idled plant designed to withstand 6.2 magnitude quake

* Plants reacted as planned to quake-industry officials”

The plant lost power and automatically halted operations after the quake. While a Dominion spokesman reported no “major” damage to the facility, three diesel generators were required to kick in and keep the reactors’ radioactive cores cool. A fourth diesel unit failed.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/24/quake-usa-nuclear-dominion-idUSN1E77M1N320110824

more from googlenews:

http://urlet.com/genie.paces

Rising Mississippi River Prompts Concerns for Downstream Nuke Plants

“High water is not expected to disrupt operations at nuclear
plants located along rivers in the Midwest, but Entergy Corp
 officials are preparing for high water at three reactor
sites along the Mississippi River from near Vicksburg,
Mississippi, to New Orleans, a company spokesman said.

 Entergy's 1,268-megawatt Grand Gulf nuclear station in
Claiborne County, Mississippi, may be the most vulnerable,
officials said, based on government forecasts for the river to
reach a high of 57.5 feet (17.5 meters) on May 20, some 14 feet
above flood stage."
via Reuters Africa:
http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFN0629012320110506

Unknown Amount of Radioactive Tritium Dumped into Mississippi River

update may 9 AP has finally picked up this story……http://www.sunherald.com/2011/05/09/3095044/nrc-checks-accidental-release.html  and http://www.google.com/search?tbo=u&tbs=mbl:1&source=og&q=%22grand%20gulf%20nuclear%20power%20plant%22&hl=en&ned=us&tab=nY#hl=en&safe=off&tbm=nws&sa=X&ei=dzLITcLXKYHAgQe5qpXLBA&sqi=2&ved=0CCMQBSgA&q=%2Btritium+%2Bmississippi&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=c1f41bd58bcd9ce3

“Water was found Thursday at the Unit 2 turbine building — which is an abandoned, partially constructed building — and began pumping the water into the river.

An alarm apparently alerted workers to the presence of tritium, a byproduct of the nuclear reactor processes. The pumps were turned off stopping the flow. Investigators are not certain why tritium was in the storm water or how it got there.”

via Natchez Democrat:

http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2011/05/04/radioactive-water-released-into-river-at-grand-gulf/

after two days, the 2nd media report:

http://www2.wjtv.com/news/2011/may/02/radioactive-substance-found-mississippi-river-ar-1793435/

100 Protest Diablo Canyon Nuke Plant

“Armed with signs, and petitions, more than 100 people packed a portion of Avila Beach Saturday to speak out against Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.”

“”The Fukushima crisis is our greatest warning and the NRC’s attitude is business as usual,” said Jane Swanson of Mothers for Peace.”

via KSBY.com

http://www.ksby.com/news/more-than-100-people-protest-diablo-canyon-nuclear-power-plant/

EMP Attack, Carrington Event Could Create Multiple Fukushimas in the U.S.

I found this chilling but prescient post on a survivalist blog, published last September.

Effects of an EMP Attack or Severe Solar Storm on Nuclear Power Plants, by B.Z.

By James Wesley, Rawles on September 6, 2010 7:39 PM

“It is with some trepidation that I write this article, since what I write will be controversial and will alarm some members of the public as well as your readers. Some of my colleagues have urged me not to bring this subject into the open or to even discuss it in public. However, I think the topic is important and needs to be brought to the attention of the public. The issue is the effect that an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack, or for that matter, even a great geomagnetic storm created by a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun, would have on a nuclear power plant. Personally, I believe that an EMP attack from a rogue nation such as Iran or North Korea or even a terrorist organization is perhaps the most serious security threat that we face as a nation today.”

While I don’t share all the views of some survivalists I welcome good information where I can find it.   This is a must read:

http://urlet.com/vertices.somewhat or:

http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/09/effects_of_an_emp_attack_or_se.html

more on Carrington Events:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/110302-solar-flares-sun-storms-earth-danger-carrington-event-science/

http://quantumpranx.wordpress.com/2011/04/02/here-comes-the-sun/

Obama Hearts Nukes

from the Nation:

“Testifying to Congress on March 16, when partial meltdowns were reportedly under way at three of the six reactors at Fukushima, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said that US nuclear plants are safe and that the president wants to build more of them. Indeed, Chu added, the administration is proposing $36 billion in taxpayer-guaranteed loans to entice private industry to do just that. What’s more, this $36 billion would be over and above the existing $18.5 billion in loan guarantees approved under the Bush administration.”

http://www.thenation.com/article/159453/obama-loves-nukes

Japan’s Nuclear Disaster Reveals Holes in U.S. Radiation Monitor System

AP VIA YAHOO NEWS:

“In California, home to two seaside nuclear plants located close to earthquake fault lines, federal authorities said four of the 11 stationary monitors were offline for repairs or maintenance last week. The Environmental Protection Agency said the machines operate outdoors year-round and periodically need maintenance, but did not fix them until a few days after low levels of radiation began drifting toward the mainland U.S.

About 20 monitors out of 124 nationwide were out of service earlier this week, including units in Harlingen, Tex. and Buffalo, N.Y. on Friday, according to the EPA.”

http://urlet.com/pointer.duped

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110326/ap_on_re_us/us_west_coast_radiation_monitors

Poll: Do You Favor or Oppose More Nuclear Power Plants?

http://www.topix.com/issue/nuclear-power

With just a few hundred votes so far Texas is opposed, which seems strange but then TEPCO is partnering in a brand new nuke plant on the Texas coast.  Maybe even those folks in Texanistan understand when they are being conned by global capitalists.

Quote of the Day, Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

 ”This is a situation where people may be called in to sacrifice their lives. … It’s very difficult for me to contemplate that but it’s, it may have reached that point.”

Robert Alvarez, senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies, on CNN March 16, 2011

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/16/japan-quake-live-blog-death-toll-expected-to-rise-as-crews-reach-more-areas/

Third Fukushima Reactor Building Blows

http://www.abc.net.au/news/events/japan-quake-2011/#entry-6a00e0097e4e688833014e5fdbb24a970c

There are reports that high levels of radiation have been measured at Ibaraki, south of Fukushima. Ibaraki is about halfway between the nuclear plant and Japan’s capital Tokyo.