No. 3 reactor at Oi expected to reactivated on July 1

Yep! Give it three months and 90% of them will be back online and all will be swept under the carpet. - Until the next disaster, of course!

Bad news especially that nuclear radiation is still everywhere including far flung places such as Tokyo as evidenced by the numerous hot spots found in Tokyo park last week.

They will forget to tell they turn it on! Maybe next year they will apologize for it!

especially that nuclear radiation is still everywhere including far flung places such as Tokyo as evidenced by the numerous hot spots found in Tokyo park last week.

The 9 areas with higher than usual radiation in the Mizumoto Park in Tokyo are 9 isolated areas and there is no evidence this is the result of a fall out from Fukushima. If that were the case, the whole park (and also the area around it) would show more or less the same reading. And it does not.

Which doesn’t make your implying the connection meaningful.

I wish you were more objective and stopped interpreting the facts to your convenience.

Sure why not. What could possibly go wrong? Its not like they have seen what can happen already or anything. Even a baby can learn not to touch the stove from touching it once. But have a major nuclear disaster in the most seismically active area of the world....nah, we do not learn anything.

But have a major nuclear disaster in the most seismically active area of the world....nah, we do not learn anything

Have you learnt anything? The nuclear plant survived the earthquake - the main problem was the tsunami. Lessons can be learnt from this to improve existing facilities - e.g. higher seawalls.

I guess this pretty much settles it that the reactor had already begun startup procedures before any public announcements. Don't approve of that, but do approve of them starting up the reactor.

sswayJun. 27, 2012 - 03:44PM JST

Even a baby can learn not to touch the stove from touching it once.

And when that baby grows up, it learns why the stove is needed and why those who have no clue about it should stay away and let the cook cook. Perhaps you haven't learned how to use a stove yet? Not that rare in Japan actually.

Nothing is safe, but nuclear plants have plenty of safety features that result in less accidents than any other type of power generator (if you include fuel side effects, construction, and mining, still safest). Having closer to 100% need met is a good thing, It will prevent a lot of deaths should the summer be hot (and given weather in Sapporo, it sure is)

@JaneM Jun. 27, 2012 - 03:23PM JST

Which doesn’t make your implying the connection meaningful. I wish you were more objective and stopped interpreting the facts to your convenience.

This is a case where people do not think before writing. What is clear is that we did not have such hot spots before Fukushima. You seem to be the only person who does not know that the plants at Fukushima still spew radio active material into the atmosphere! Also Rick Kisa has not said that hot spots are because of Fukushima. S/he only worries, as everybody does, about the uncleared backlog of radiation that still lingers and which is common knowledge. Your comment clearly seems misplaced and uninformed.

japan123Jun. 27, 2012 - 04:45PM JST

What is clear is that we did not have such hot spots before Fukushima.

Who ever said that? I'm sure any scientist, engineer, or otherwise educated individual could tell you that there are always hot spots. It just happens to be that they never measured radiation before, at least anywhere outside nuclear plants. When Brazil checked themselves out a few years ago, after a cancer treatment machine was abandoned and a few people died of radiation poisoning, they found that they had hotspots all over the place, and in fact, some cities were over 10mSv/year (more than isolated places in this park) even without nuclear plants (Agra was closed for quite some time before and after). What is an issue is when hotspots are over 20mSv /yr (legal issue) or 50mSv/year (health warning). This hotspot is not anywhere near health warning level.

What is clear is that we did not have such hot spots before Fukushima.

What is clear is that no body bothered to look for hot spots and measure radiation randomly before 3/11. How do you know there were no hot spots before?

Also Rick Kisa has not said that hot spots are because of Fukushima.

No, he only hinted it by making an indirect connection (very skillfully) which is exactly the way of leading people to the conclusions you want them to reach. And also a perfect way to create rumors. Please read his post carefully.

What hotspots Rick. Post evidence. I did not catch it.

Prudent decision to deal with the current energy needs, but it should be only a temporary fix. Renewable, clean energy sources must still be developed.

Yes , please post links to data regarding radiation hot spots in Tokyo. Sorry JG, don't mean to be a perv but , NICE LEGS!!

One good thing is now Japanese realize that their government doesn't givea hoot about them, it's just a matter of time before the people say enough is enough, nuclear industry is finished. But the waste will go on and on and on........

Penfold, the Japanese government not caring about its nationals is not news. Then again they are politicians, they would sell their own for political advantage and reelection money.

japan123 Jun. 27, 2012 - 04:45PM JST

This is a case where people do not think before writing. What is clear is that we did not have such hot spots before Fukushima. You seem to be the only person who does not know that the plants at Fukushima still spew radio active material into the atmosphere!

How do we know that? We had a period of months after the disaster where people were discovering stores of radium paint, and natural outlets of radon gas. The concentration pattern indicates an airborne source of the cesium (if that is what it is) but that is not a conclusive link to Fukushima.

Also, as far as the Fukushima site still spewing radioactive material into the atmosphere - it's down to below the level that one average coal plant releases into the atmosphere. If that is still spewing, I expect protests against the coal plants still being used in Japan.

Star-vikingJun. 27, 2012 - 10:54PM JST

Also, as far as the Fukushima site still spewing radioactive material into the atmosphere - it's down to below the level that one average coal plant releases into the atmosphere. If that is still spewing, I expect protests against the coal plants still being used in Japan.

A lack of xenon gas radioisotopes (short half-life so high radioactivity, in fact, almost all radiation released by Fukushima was xenon, then a much smaller amount of equally fast iodine) and iodine suggests there is no actual leak. Furthermore, as Oi is a PWR, that type of contamination is much harder to achieve even in the case of coolant loss.

Lessons can be learnt from this to improve existing facilities - e.g. higher seawalls.

A little more is necessary to improve the safety of existing facilities. How about regular safety inspections by independent international teams consisting of people who don't need to consider the 'descent from heaven' factor.

Training sessions to teach operators how to deal with emergencies.

Weekly check-ups to see if all back-up systems are fully operable.

At least bi-annual emergency procedure exercises like the fire departments hold.

Evacuation simulation training.

Seems to me TEPCO failed on those points in a big way. Almost casually restarting the Ohi plants shows a huge indifference and callousness and I wonder what actually has been learned and what new procedures have been put in place to ensure the safety of operation.