Technology:
¶ Scientists are working on a way to prevent zirconium based cladding of nuclear fuel rods from reacting with steam. [Lincoln Journal Star]
Japan:
¶ A government report says the underlying cause of the Fukushima Disaster was belief in a “myth of nuclear safety.” Managers and officials simply did not believe a major accident was possible, so dangers were ignored, with both preventative measures and disaster preparations unaddressed. unaddressed[The Japan Times]
… The same report says TEPCO is still failing to ensure safety properly and is unwilling to examine the problems that caused the Fukushima Disaster. [Wall Street Journal]
… In addition, the report suggests all nuclear power plants are vulnerable to the same problems that underlay the Fukushima Disaster. [The Guardian]
¶ Many hospital patients being evacuated because of the Fukushima Disaster died because of lack of planning and preparation. [Asahi Shimbun]
¶ Consumers are avoiding beef from the areas around Fukushima. [The Japan Times]
… Nevertheless, octopus from the northern coast of Fukushima prefecture have returned to market. [The Japan Times]
¶ A citizen’s group has found high levels of radioactive cesium at the side of a river 178 km (110 miles) from the Fukushima Daiichi plant. [Infoshop News]
World:
¶ Falling costs of photovoltaics and lithium batters are bringing Australia to the point that off-grid power is economically competitive with grid-based power. [Newsmaker]
US:
¶ The Oyster Creek plant was shut down yesterday because of loss of offsite power. [Star Ledger]
¶ The governor of New Jersey has signed a bill to maintain encouragement of solar power in that state. [Bloomberg Business Week]
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