MISMANAGEMENT OF FUKUSHIMA
NUCLEAR ACCIDENT
VOJIN JOKSIMOVICH, Ph.D
SD IEEE
APRIL 27, 2011
CONTENT
• 2011 TOHOKU EARTHQUAKE SNAPSHOT
• NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AFFECTED
• BWR MARK I SCHEMATIC
• NUCLEAR SAFETY PHILOSOPHY
• DAIICHI DESIGN BASES
• DAIICHI ACCIDENT TIMELINE 3/11 TO 3/15
• AN ACCIDENT SUMMARY: MISMANAGEMENT ASSERTION
• SETBACKS FOR N POWER
• CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR N POWER
PRINCIPAL SOURCES OF INFO
• TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER (TEPCO) RELEASES
• JAPAN NUCLEAR & INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AGENCY (NISA)
& JAPAN NUCLEAR ENERGY SAFETY ORGANIZATION
(JNES) DAILY RELEASES
• JAPAN ATOMIC INDUSTRIAL FORUM (JAIF)
• JAPAN PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
• WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION (WNA); WORLD
NUCLEAR NEWS (WNN)
• NHK WORLD IN ENGLISH—TV STATION
• AREVA; WASEDA UNIVERSITY, UC BERKELEY
• ASAHI.COM; FINANCIAL TIMES, WIKIPEDIA
2011 TOHOKU EARTHQUAKE
SNAPSHOT
• ENERGY RELEASED EQUIVALENT TO 9,320 GIGATONS OF TNT,
~600 MILLION TIMES ENERGY OF HIROSHIMA 1945 BOMB; PEAK
GROUND ACCELERATION 2.99; FIFTH LARGEST EVER RECORDED
SINCE 1900
• KNOCKED OUT NORTH JAPAN POWER GRID;CREATED TSUNAMI
WITH LARGE WAVES UP TO 124 FT, CAUSED MORE DEVASTATION
THAN QUAKE ITSELF, WALLS OF WATER SWALLOWED COASTAL
TOWNS
• ONE OF WORST NATURAL DISASTER IN HISTORY
• MOST DIFFICULT CRISIS IN JAPAN SINCE WWII
• DEATH TOLL OF ~27,000, INCLUDING THREE TEPCO FUKUSHIMA
WORKERS
• AFTER MARCH 11 14:46 (JST) OVER 900 AFTERSHOCKS WITH ~60
OVER 6.0 M, 3 OVER 7: 7.7, 7-9 & 7.1
• ~$31O B, WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE NATURAL DISASTER
•
NUCLEAR PLANTS AFFECTED
• JAPAN: 54 OPERATING N PLANTS, 30% NATION’S
ELECTRICITY;TEPCO 17 PLANTS
• 14 IN PROXIMITY: TOHOKU 3 ONAGAWA UNITS; TEPCO 6
FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI (1F)--IN OPERATION 1971-79 & 4
FUKUSHIMA DAINI (2F), TOKAI DAINI
• AT QUAKE TIME (1F)# 1-3 OPERATIONAL, 4-6
SHUTDOWN; (2F)# 1-4 OPERATIONAL; REACTORS +
COAL PLANTS AUTOMATICALLY SHUTDOWN BUT FP
DECAY HEAT HAS TO BE REMOVED
• FOCUS: ACCIDENTS: (F1) #1 460 MW, #2 & # 3 768 MW; #4
SFP; ALL BWRs; REACTOR VENDORS: GE, TOSHIBA &
HITACHI; A/Es EBASCO, KAJIMA
NUCLEAR SAFETY PHILOSOPHY
• NUCLEAR SAFETY: ABILITY TO RETAIN FPs WITHIN
PLACE OF ORIGIN: N FUEL
• TWO OTHER FP BARRIERS: RPV & CV
• LWR NUMBER 1 N SAFETY IMPERATIVE: KEEP CORE
FLOODED AT ALL TIMES
• EXISTING GEN II LWRs RELIANCE ON ENGINEERED
ACTIVE SAFETY FEATURES; GEN III LWRs (BEING
CERTIFIED BY NRC) RELIANCE ON PASSIVE COOLING
FEATURES; RELIANCE ON INHERENT FEATURES:
GCRs, HTGRs, GEN IV
PLANT DESIGN BASES FOR
QAKES/TSUNAMI; PROCEDURES
• ACCELERATION MEASURED BY QUAKE AT (1F)#3 507
GAL (DB 441), AT (1F)#6 431 GAL (DB 448 GAL); NEW
SEISMIC STANDARD OF 600 GAL (LATERAL) WASN’T
IMPLEMENTED AT (1F)
• DESPITE BEYOND DB KEY STRUCTURES SEEM TO
HAVE BEEN UNDAMAGED; TSUNAMI DB 5.7 M; 2011
TOHOKU 14-15 M
• SEVERE ACCIDENT PROCEDURES IN PLACE SINCE
1990s CALL FOR: CV VENTING, FEED & BLEED;
SEAWATER INJECTION, FIRE PROTECTION PUMP OR
FIRE ENGINE; POWER SUPPLY TRUCKS, CROSS TIES
(BECAME REGULATORY REQUIREMENT AS OF 3/30)
FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI ACCIDENT
TIMELINE #1
• 14:46 QUAKE: LOSS OF N JAPAN GRID;TEPCO PRESIDENT &
CHAIRMAN ON BUSINESS TRIPS; PRIME MINISTER (PM) KAN AT
DIET HEARINGS; TOKYO NISA EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
HEADQUARTERS SET UP
• 15:42 TSUNAMI IMPACT: DAIICHI (1F): FLOODING OF SERVICE
WATER BLDS CAUSING LOSS OF ULTIMATE HEAT SINK PLUS LOSS
OF AC POWER: 12 ONSITE POWER DIESELS (DGs) DISABLED; LOSS
OF WATER INJECTION ABILITY BY ECCS PUMPS, LOSS OF
CONTROL ROOM
• DAINI (2F): FLOODING, OFF-SITE POWER AVAILABLE
• 16:36 (1F)#1 PASSIVE RCIC PROVIDED CORE COOLING (CC) FOR ~1
HR, 27 HRS W.O CC; #3 RCIC~35 HRS, 7 HRS W.O CC; #2 RCIC ~70
HRS, 7 HRS W.O. CC
• ~16:30 TEPCO OFFICIALS TOLD PM OFFICE NO PROBLEM FOR 8
HRS EVEN IF NO POWER SOURCES PROVIDED
TIMELINE #2
• 17:00 PM ADDRESSED NATION: NO RELEASE OF RADIOACTIVITY,
SERIOUS ACCIDENT
• 19:03 PM DECLARES NUCLEAR EMERGENCY: RESPONSE CENTERS
ESTABLISHED FOR INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION: METI (NISA),
JNSC
• 19:45 CHIEF CABINET SECRETARY YUKIO EDANO BECOMES
GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN
• 21:23 PM DIRECTED LOCAL OFFICIALS TO EVACUATE RESIDENTS
WITHIN 3KM FROM (1F) & WITHIN 10 KM FROM TO STAY INDOORS
• MARCH 12: 0.00 #1 RPV PRESSURE 2.1 DESIGN VALUE; TURBINE
BLDG RADIATION
• 1:30 JNES CHIEF CONVINCES PM #1 CV VENTING
• 3:00 EDANO: FINAL VENTING PREPARATIONS
• 4:40 MAIN GATE RADIATION INCREASE ~5microSv/h
TIMELINE #3
• 5:44 PM ORDERS EVACUATION TO 10 KM
• 6 :00 PM ASKS WHEN VENTING WOULD START? TEPCO: “VENTING
POWER SOURCE CUT OFF”
• 7:00 PM SITE VISIT; PM ANGRY “WHY DON’T YOU HURRY WITH
VENTING,” TELLS TEPCO WANTS TO DEAL DIRECTLY WITH PLANT
MANAGER
• 7:45 EVACUATION/STAY INDOORS FOR DAINI (F2)
• 7:50 51 POWER TRUCKS ARRIVED, POWER COULDN’T BE
CONNECTED TO PLANT---PLUGS DIDN’T FIT
• 9:00 CV VENTING PROCEDURE STARTED; 11:52 Cs-137 DETECTED,
NISA ANNOUNCES CORE MELT; FIRE ENGINE WATER PUMPING
INITIATED
• 14:30 CV VENT OPENED; RADIATION ~1mSv/h
• 15:36 HYDROGEN EXPLOSION BLOWING OFF SERVICE FLOOR ROOF,
SMOKE—TEPCO BELIEVED NAGANO QUAKE, 4 PLANT WORKERS
INJURED
TIMELINE #4
•
18:25 (F1) EVACUATION EXTENDED TO 20 KM
•
20:20 PM ORDERS #1 PUMPING OF SEAWATER; 22:15
SUSPENDED—AFTERSHOCK; 0:00 RESUMED
•
MARCH 13: 2:44 #3 HPCI FAILS--BATTERIES; RCIC FAILS; 4:15
RAPID RPV CORE UNCOVERY; 8:33 1.2 miliSv/h AT SITE
BOUNDARY; 8:41 CV VENTING
•
12:51 #3 WATER LEVEL MINUS 190 CM; 13:12 SEAWATER
PUMPING INITIATED
•
EVE: FUKUSHIMA GOVERNOR MAD AT TEPCO
•
MARCH 14: #1& #3 1:10-3:3:20 PUMPING SUSPENDED- SEAWATER
IN POOLS RAN OUT
•
6:50 #3 HIGH CV PRESSURE
•
11:01 #3 HYDROGEN EXPLOSION BLOWING SERVICE FLOOR
ROOF, 11 INJURED
TIMELINE #5
• 13:25 #2 RCIC PUMP FAILS, 18:22 #2 CORE MELTDOWN; 18:24
SEAWATER STARTED, SUSPENDED;20:05 RESUMED
• 21:37 3.1 miliSv/h AT MAIN GATE; 22:22 CV WETWELL DAMAGE
SUSPECTED; TEPCO: INFORMAL INTENT TO EVACUATE
EMPLOYEES; PM: “IS TEPCO PLANNING TO ABANDON ROLE AS
ELECTRIC POWER CO?”
• MARCH 15: 0:02 #2 CV VENT OPENED; NRC/IAEA EXPERTS
ACCEPTED; 3:00 #2 CORE STILL UNCOVERED
• 6:00 #4 EXPLOSION CAUSED HOLE IN RB
• 6:14 #2 WORK FORCE REDUCED TO 50 FOR PUMPING
• 9:00 11.9 milliSv/h AT MAIN GATE
• 10:30 METI ORDERS: #4 PREVENT RECRITICALITY; #2 INJECT
WATER PROMPTLY & VENT DRYWELL
• 11:OO PM EXTENDS STAY INDOORS TO 30 KM
• 13:00 #2 WATER LEVEL RECOVERED TO MINUS 170CM
TIMELINE #6
• ~3:30 PM CALLS CABINET MINISTERS; EDANO: “NO
CONCERN ABOUT LAW,” MEET WITH TEPCO; UPSHOT SET
UP INTEGRATED HEADQUARTERS AT TEPCO; TEPCO
LATER GOES ALONG
• PM “WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO,” SHIMIZU: “WE WILL
MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO PROTECT F1;” PM “PULLING
OUT IS NOT AN OPTION”
• AFTER 3 HRS WITH TEPCO EXECUTIVES PM FELL ASLEEP
SEATED. AFTERWARDS PM TO AIDES “BRING ALL INFO TO
ME. I WILL MAKE DECISIONS. I WILL CONTACT THAT
INDIVIDUAL DIRECTLY.”
• MANAGEMENT OF UNPARALLED COMPLEXITY INITIATED.
EXAMPLE: PM ASKED FOR 139 TOKYO FIRE DEPT FORCE
TO BE DEPLOYED
AN ACCIDENT SUMMARY
• MISMAGEMENT UNTIL MARCH 16: ACCIDENT NOT UNDERSTOOD;
LACK OF EMERGENCY DRILLS; TIMELY DECISIONS NOT MADE;
TEPCO BUNGLING; PM MAD AT TEPCO/ METI, HIRED OWN ADVISERS;
TEPCO: PUBLIC APOLOGY; COZY R/U;CULTURAL TOP-DOWN
ISSUES?
• THREE REACTOR CORE MELTDOWNS); LOW WATER LEVELS;UNITS
1-4 SPENT FUEL POOL DAMAGE
• # 2 & 3 LOST PRESSURE, SUSPECTED RPV OR CV DAMAGE---EXTENT
UNKNOWN
• FUEL CONTAINED BUT VOLATILE & SOLUBLE FISSION PRODUCTS
RELEASED TO ENVIRONMENT
• # 1-4 TOTAL WRITEOFF, DECOMMISSIONING
• INES SCALE RAISED FROM 5 TO 7 (EXAGGERATION?) SAME AS
CHERNOBYL BUT WITH 1/10 RELEASE OF RADIOACTIVITY: MOSTLY I131, Cs-134 & 137
• NO EARLY FATALITIES OR RADIATION INJURIES; 21 PLANT WORKERS
EXPOSED TO ~100mSv
REMEDIATION PLAN
• APRIL 17 TEPCO ANNOUNCES FIRST TIME REMEDIATION
PLAN
• COLD SHUTDOWN WITHIN 6-9 MONTHS
• COOLING REACTORS: # 1-3 CV FLOODED & NITROGEN
INJECTION: #2 DAMAGED CV SEALED BEFORE
FLOODING
• COOLING & REMOVING SPENT FUEL # 1-4; WATER
INJECTION AND COOLING CIRCULATION
• MANAGING CONTAMINATED WATER: NEW STORAGE
WILL BE INSTALLED
• MINIMIZING RELEASE OF RADIOACTIVITY TO ENVIRONS:
STRUCTURE BUILT OVER REACTOR BUILDINGS 1, 3 & 4
• PREPARING FOR RETURN OF EVACUEES: EVACUATION
ZONE DECONTAMINATION, MONITORING
SOME WORLD REACTIONS
• STOCK MARKET: URANIUM 25% DOWN; UP 10.8% CO2
EMISSION; 13.4% GAS; 10.8% COAL
• SARKOZY/KAN: CALL FOR CLEAR SAFETY STANDARDS,
G20 N REGULATORS MTG
• AMANO: HIGH LEVEL N SAFETY MTG; WNA CHIEFS
APPLAUDS INITIATIVE
• N INDUSTRY LEADERS: PREPARE FOR NEW NUCLEAR
INDUSTRY; NEED FOR TECHNOLOGY WILL NOT CHANGE
• MOST NATIONS ANNOUNCED INTENTION TO RE-REVIEW
SAFETY, GERMANY EXCEPTION-ROUTE TRULY
DAMAGING TO N POWER
SETBACKS FOR NUCLEAR POWER
• GERMANY: 7 PRE-1980 BUILT PLANTS, 8336 MW, IDLE 3
MONTHS, 18% ELECTRICITY PRICE RISE; MORATORIUM TO
EXTEND LIFE OF 17 PLANTS FOR 12 YRS: MERKEL U-TURN;
FUTURE WITHOUT N POWER:WIND FARMS,COAL & GAS; RWE
LAW SUIT
• EU: “STRESS TESTS” FOR NUCLEAR PLANTS
• US: NRG ENERGY SOUTH TEXAS 3&4 $481 M WRITEDOWN:
“DIMINISHED PROSPECTS”
FOR US RENAISSANCE; NRC 3-6 MONTHS REVIEW; NRC
CONTINUES TO ISSUE LIFE EXTENTIONS LIC
• ITALY: REBOOTED N PROGRAM INTO 1-YR MORATORIUM
• INDONESIA: CANCELLED PLAN FOR 1ST PLANT
NO CHANGE
• SARCOZY: “WE HAVE CHOSEN TO USE N POWER. THAT WILL
NOT CHANGE”
• CHINA: N RENAISSANCE LEADER WITH 29 PLANTS UNDER
CONSTRUCTION: FREEZE OF NEW N PROJECTS UNTIL 2012,
2011 NEW ATOMIC ENERGY LAW AND SAFETY CODES; 40 GW
BY 2015 UNCHANGED, INSPECTIONS BUT NO SHUTDOWN OF
OPERATING PLANTS. RECENTLY, MAY APPROVE NEW BUILDS?
• INDIA (SINGH):”WHEN COOL HEADED DISCUSSIONS TAKE
PLACE ABOUT FUTURE OF ENERGY, NUCLEAR WOULD BE
ONE OF ESSENTIAL OPTIONS WHICH ALL COUNTIES MUST
KEEP TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE AND
ENERGY SECURITY.”RECENT DEMOS MAY HAVE POLITICAL
IMPACT
• PUTIN: NO CHANGE N DEVELOPMENT PLANS
• UAE, TURKEY, BELARUS TO PROCEED