Nuclear reactors in Japan English newspapers have released this week covers most terrifying and shocking in recent times, without none of them is labeled an over-sensationalism, a disease that is often suffered by our press, for its front-page headlines in describing the disaster in Japan. ABC headline: "Fears", The Country: "Japan fears nuclear disaster "and" Fukushima is out of control, "" The Reason ":" Apocalypse ", The World," Japan loses control and the EU talks of 'apocalypse' nuclear "... We recognize that the term is very strong, But an earthquake of magnitude 9 on the Richter scale, followed by a tsunami, witnessed live on television screens, in addition to six jets damaged nuclear plant in Fukushima, are actual scenes, not the movies. In the same vein is expressed Günther Oettinger, European Commissioner for Energy, who says that "almost everything is out of control" in that plant. "There has been talk of apocalypse and I think this is particularly well-chosen word, "Oettinger is justified at a hearing before the Energy Committee of Parliament. The sheriff says "very concerned" about what is happening in the last hours: "I hope not the worst happens, but we can not exclude it in the coming hours and days." Oettinger insists that, although Japan has "great engineers" and "art" can no longer guarantee the safety and operational control of the plant. Other European personalities are expressed with equal crudity, "It is a scene from hell," exclaims Patrick Fuller, of the Federation of Red Cross, "quite a nightmare." To Naoto Kan, Japanese Prime Minister, Japan is facing its worst crisis since the Second World War. More than six thousand dead and 10,354 missing according to the latest official figures. Nearly 850,000 households remain without power in northern Iraq and the government says at least 1.5 billion lack safe drinking water. The earthquake has forced many firms to cease production and actions of major Japanese companies have collapsed like a house man. Nevertheless, Japan still does not lose his dignity and behave in a spirit very different from many other towns and communities.
A desolate woman among ruins in the town of Natori.
An earthquake of magnitude 8.9, followed by a tsunami with waves up to ten meters, devastates the Friday, March 11, the country's northwestern coast, wreaking havoc. The earthquake occurs offshore, 125 kilometers from the city of Sendai. A giant wave hits the coast and inland drag everything in its path: ships sailing between cars, debris, burning houses and even some planes near airports. Advances up to 10 miles and makes port cities in scenes of horror and piles of rubble. Include thousands of disappeared. Naoto Kan, prime minister, acknowledges that "a great test for the Japanese people." But, no doubt with determination added: "Japan will rebuild from scratch."
A city viewed from the ruins of his home the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami.
Most of the 127 million people in Japan these days spend glued to phones and TV. Up to 600,000 people have been displaced in the country. About 310,000 of them are sleeping in shelters and tents and an unknown number still trapped under the rubble, waiting to be rescued, with less time to survive. The enormous damage to the roads of the north end still hamper rescue efforts. The Government is trying by all means to prevent panic among the population, aware that further aggravate things. And it applies so thoroughly that people are now not to believe their reports. Many are beginning to suspect that the danger of nuclear leakage, damage by Tokyo Electric Power, the operator of atomic power Fugushima are much higher than what the government says.
A boat on top of a destroyed house. Otsuchi, Japan.
Three days after the earthquake followed by tsunami the most basic products have become luxury items for millions of people. On the roads many drivers run out of fuel and some have hundreds of euros to whom we seek a simple drum. Jams are monumental and highways and several alternative routes are damaged or cut to provide access to emergency equipment. The tsunami has been devastating for Japan, who has transited through a crisis.
Last Wednesday there were already 12,000 victims, dead or missing.
More than 500 aftershocks were happening throughout the week, paralyzing the country. Last Wednesday had already been counted more than 12,000 casualties, dead and unpark. Eleven of the 54 nuclear plants ceased production Nipponese and the Government, after the failure of plants Fukishima, decreed a state of emergency and evacuation of residents of the area. Two days after the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck northeastern Japan, presents another serious danger: the possible formation of a radioactive cloud produced by nuclear plants in an emergency situation.
Öttinger Günther, Energy Commissioner of the European Union, studies strengthen nuclear safety warning after Japan.
apocalipasis Four days after the Japanese, the UN confirmed that there are ample grounds for nuclear panic that is sweeping the world. Yukyia Amano, director of Internacinal Energy Agency (IAEA), said that the cores of three of the six reactors at the Fukushima are damaged, which makes a massive flight of radioactivitad. "The situation and very serious," said Amano, without much hope that everything should be extended to fruition. Günther Öttinger, Commissioner for Energy European Union relies on God and the Bible to describe Japan's nuclear crisis. "Some talk of apocalypse and it seems very appropriate word," said the commissioner in the European Parliament. "Everything is practically out of control," he adds. "I do not exclude the worst in hours and days ahead, I hope that with the grace of God can avoid the worst." The commissioner has appeared in the Parliament after the EU agreed this year make voluntary testing resistance at its nuclear plants to ensure their safety against any eventuality. Commissioner explains the agreements, without falling into the drama that then resorts to the Committee of Industry and Energy of the European Parliament. But it is in the parliamentary chamber where vindicates witnesses who feel almost the end of the world. "Some talk of apocalypse and the word seems very appropriate," he says. "They are going to reevaluate all potential problems," says Öttinger to the press. The commissioner says the move came at the meeting a great support that "no one spoke against." "We want partners and neighbors are involved," insists Öttinger, with explicit references to Switzerland, Turkey and Russia, and invites them to work in defining the criteria and the choice of inspectors. "We want to create a European-based nuclear safety," sums.
Last Wednesday, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, considered "very serious" the situation that Japan was going through because of the damage to several nuclear power plants by the earthquake and tsunami of last Friday. And I decided to go to Japan to learn personally about accidents occurring. U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) warned that workers in emergency equipment plant Fukushima nuclear power could face a "lethal dose" of radiation if they were close to the reactors. The possibility that melted some of its nuclear reactors in a country that had received the first atomic bomb (Hiroshima, 1946) and was now devastated by natural disasters, was the main fear of the weekend.
Merkel and nuclear.
In Germany, the protests from environmental groups caused the sudden change of the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, who announced that all the country's nuclear plants will be reviewed. Merkel reveals that his government will temporarily close seven that began operating before 1980. The announcement comes timely in the same year in which seven federal states hold elections and the outcome of their elections will be key to the balance of forces in the German parliament. "Plants that began operating before the end of 1980-states in a press conference, will be closed during the period of the moratorium." Germany, with ten stations will soon be operational. The seven plants affected by the closure represent about one third of the country's nuclear capability, although one is already off by an accident in 2007 and another ended the month spent for maintenance. The plant closure has been decided by government decree, with no brokered an agreement with operators, and explains that all Germany's nuclear reactors will be subjected to checks. The Executive argues further that the energy supply is assured. This decision comes shortly before the holding of three regional elections to be held in the coming weeks and in which Merkel's CDU could face another defeat. The opposition complains that the chancellor use nuclear power as electoral banner. Sigmar Gabriel, leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), said that "nothing makes sense" and slashes the moratorium on the extension to the core of "a simple trick."
Nicolas Sarkozy Sarkozy defends 'relevance' of the nuclear option for France.
France, the world's second nuclear power, behind the U.S. and ahead of Japan (obtained 76.2% of its electricity from its 58 reactors in 19 power stations), warns that the situation is more Tokyo severe than recognized. The Government Gallo speaks "not of a serious accident," but of "a catastrophe" as possible. Sarkozy shows his confidence in nuclear power plants, exports of report more income. Warns that "in any way, leave this activity, but the facts that have occurred are quite dramatic" and that his Government has an obligation to "see what happens in other places to draw on the experience and ensure that the French It can not happen here. " And, contrary Nipponese authorities to classify the accident level 4, which lists for level 6, intermediate between what happened at Three Mile Island (in 1979) and Chernobyl, and does not rule to increase the degree. Speaking to RTL, the Minister of Industry Gallo, Eric Besson said that "we are on track to a nuclear disaster and the situation has worsened [...] Is evidence that when building a plant in an area subject to seismic hazards, despite security measures, the worst can happen. " Besson calls all the French to leave Japan, a move that has not yet been adopted by any other country. France is the most critical of the nuclear situation in Japan.
Three days after the nuclear incident occurred in Japan, the Swiss authorities announced the suspension of licenses to build three nuclear power plants Other countries such as Finland also announced a review of nuclear policy. And They Liu, head of the agency China's nuclear safety, said that his country should look at the Japanese accident and learn lessons that can leave the problems arising after the earthquake. Austria reports a total review of its plants, like India. Reuters, in an analysis, he begins to speak of a possible rejection of the development of nuclear power in the aftermath of Fukushima. And Naoto Kan can not hide his panic underlying the nucleus of one of the reactors damaged or pop one of the sarcophagi that contain the reactor, as happened at Chernobyl and release into the atmosphere 500 times the radioactive cloud to pump atomic dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. And he insists that the Government is do its utmost to contain the threat. But the U.S. and Europe to Japan criticize the lack of information about the accident. The CSM (Nuclear Safety Council) complains of the delay with which information arrives. Warned that the IAEA (International Energy Agency, headed by a Japanese who is responsible for transmitting data to countries that receive Japan) gives information late. And CSM sources insist on it, adding that the received poorly.
Juan Lopez de Uralde.
Given what happened in Japan, the Foundation claims Equo a closure plan for the English plants. Juan Lopez de Uralde, promoter of education and former director of Greenpeace, is "urgent" a strategy based on energy savings and renewable energy commitment to enabling "medium term" dispense with nuclear energy and reduce dependence on foreign oil. He also adds that reality has once again demonstrated that nuclear plants are an item with a "potentially dangerous and never impressive 100% controllable and that one of the reactors exploded in Fukushima is identical to that in the central Garoña . The statements of English politicians on this theme are cowards. Marcelino Iglesias (PSOE) argues: "It is not the time for a debate", which some interpret as "never reaches this point." Rosa Aguilar (Environment Minister): "It would not be responsible nor appropriate to set alarms on the use of nuclear energy." Environment Minister, Elena Salgado, on his arrival in Brussels, said: "These are turbulent times for the earthquake in Japan he certainly would have an impact on the economy of a country that is a third world economy. So, he certainly would have to be vigilant. "
panic unleashed by the accident of installed nuclear power in Japan governments to make ambiguous statements about the continuity of the policies of opening. The European environment ministers meet to carry out an informal preliminary meeting type in which debate on the nuclear issue on European soil. For after this meeting, EU Energy Commissioner, Günther Oettinger, has called for another meeting where they plan to study in more detail the presence of nuclear power plants. In Spain, the two major political parties suggest the desirability of extending the life of the nuclear power Garoña (Burgos). Other parties and corporations, as "Ecologists in Action Castilla and Leon ", calling for the advancement of the closure of this nuclear power plant, very similar to Japanese Fukushima, to understand what has happened in this Japanese plant after the earthquake, is a" serious warning. " Marcelino Iglesias, secretary of the PSOE's Organisation, said that energy policy will not undergo socialist changes. But doubts arise everywhere. Especially after the sudden change in the German energy policy and the nuclear debate open.
in the world, according to data provided by Reuters, a total of 437 nuclear reactors operating in plants across 30 countries, according to the latest Annual Report of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The document, whose data are updated to January 1, 2010, figure the total power generation of energy from those 370,187 megawatt reactors. In addition, another 55 reactors with a combined potential of 50,855 megawatts were in 2009, currently under construction. The country with the largest number of reactors is the United States (104, plus one under construction), followed by France (59, plus one under construction) and Japan (54, plus one under construction). The Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan, 270 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, where three of the six reactors were damaged after cooling system failure following the devastating earthquake of March 11, has an installed capacity of 4,700 megawatts and is one of the 25 largest in the world. France, the country most dependent on nuclear power in 2008, to 419.8 terawatt hours, covered 76.2% of energy needs. Belgium 54.8% supplied the energy produced by the reactors, while the dependence of Ukraine, Sweden and Slovenia of this energy source is at 47.4%, 42% and 41.7% respectively. Spain listed IAEA with 8 operating reactors, a combined capacity of 7,450 megawatts, which in 2008 generated an average of 56.5 terawatt-hours, equivalent to 18.3% of electricity produced in the country. In the Americas, apart from the U.S. and Canada, Argentina only have nuclear plants (two operating reactors and one under construction), Brazil and Mexico (two operations each).
Miguel Sebastián, Minister of Industry, said the English government "following with concern" the side effects of tsunami in Japan, including the threat of a nuclear incident "serious." And to allay any concerns by the people, he said that the English nuclear power "safe" as reported by the Nuclear Safety Council and the Government has a commitment to meet its replacement after life. The nuclear alert in Japan surprised the English government and the opposition, caught up in ideological contradictions. Popular Socialists and refuse to reopen the debate on nuclear power, although happening all across Europe are reactions to the Japanese crisis. Rosa Aguilar, Minister of Environment, avoids openly speak openly. Organizing Secretary, Marcelino Iglesias, said from Ferraz "is not the time" to open the debate, but the responsibility for the environment, Hugo Moran, said "nuclear energy is unsafe. And the sooner we can dispense with it, the better. " But the 169 Socialist deputies voted just last month in the opposite direction. PSOE, PP, CiU and PNV in February they agreed an amendment to the Law of Sustainable Economy (LES) for extending the plant life beyond the 40 years that the Government had initially set. José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and buried one of his last election promises of 2008, which remained standing, and stars in a further lurch on energy. After the session control to the government, Zapatero appears to remember that the key now is to help Japan and the Japanese. "That's the priority. Then, look at what to do in Spain. " Remember that Japan is not Spain, what age does not prevent a nuclear plant is "a relevant factor" to consider. Emphasizes the behavior of the Japanese to the disaster. And ugly statements by the European energy commissioner, who spoke of "Apocalypse." "Understandably, he says, it has dramatic words, but the more difficult the situation, more must be the words contained. I emphasize that the problem is Japan, the Japanese who are suffering. And our first duty is to help the Japanese. "
Fraga and Rajoy not seem to be full agreement on nuclear energy.
Esteban Gonzalez Pons, Deputy Secretary of Communications of the Popular Party, says the disaster in Japan "is not just a problem of nuclear plants, but all kinds of services and infrastructure. "We need to rethink security and protective measures against disasters at all levels and in all aspects," the conservative leader. The party leader, Mariano Rajoy, warns that "there is that demagogy" and to be reckoned with all energy sources: coal, renewables, gas and nuclear power plants. Its founding president, Manuel Fraga, is the only leader capable of raising the voice in the national executive of his party to demand a debate on nuclear energy in view of the accident of central Fukushima (Japan). Cayo Lara, federal coordinator of United Left, the view that neither Spain nor any other country "can play with nuclear weapons. The English government should reflect and nuclear plants should finish his life in time is fixed by law in our country. " All English environmental organizations charged against nuclear energy. And remember that the most damaged Japanese reactors are of the same type as that of Santa Maria de Garona (Burgos), whose closure is announced for 2013. Carlos Bravo, head of Greenpeace nuclear, admits that the Japanese case is due to natural causes, "but may be other problems causing the disaster, human and technical" reason that calls for the immediate closure of the plant Burgos. "Why" says "risk to the population if no alternative?".
Aznar and González, rivals in the business world, but not politically.
FAES Endesa and reveal the hidden agenda of the PP. The president of Endesa, Borja Prado said from London that "It is clear that the PP has the will, if govern, if pronuclear" and ensures that the party "to evaluate new sites [atomic] or repowering" existing. "These are the messages I do see," says Prado, in response to the proposals of the recent report of the FAES Foundation, the think tank of the PP, which calls for the "nuclear renaissance." Endesa has on its board a former Secretary of State for Economic Affairs with the PP, Luis de Guindos, and in January, booked the former Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar as a consultant. FAES itself abounds in the thesis of Endesa. Jaime García-Legaz, secretary general of the foundation and member of the PP, reiterates Europa Press that FAES, in his report, "is clear" and says the same as the party of Mariano Rajoy, that "the continuation of nuclear has to be subject to technical criteria, even beyond even 60 years. The document recommends, "initiate a plan for the selection of sites for new nuclear plants." And, while the PP tries to cool the nuclear enthusiasm he has shown over the past year, Endesa, second largest English utility, it assumes the nuclear fervor of the conservative and aligned with them. Both Aznar, director of Endesa, as Felipe González, former president of the PSOE and the new adviser Fenosa Gas, are in favor of nuclear energy. But as bipartisanship works here at any cost, we may return to the strain. Antonio Pierce said to suffer "a bout of selective deafness for not listening to the leaders of Endesa, a place, saying its strategic alliances with Japan's TEPCO to things nuclear and energy in general, the vocearán sure loudly now Japanese energy that goes on everyone's lips. "
The Government authorizes the nuclear power Cofrentes (Valencia), which opened in 1984 to operate for ten years. The extension was granted on 10 March the eve of the earthquake in Japan. For several days, the Ministry of Industry is reluctant to make public its decision, which was not known until last Wednesday, despite the requests of the press. Authorization based industry in the report issued in mid-February by the Nuclear Safety Council (CSN). The agency gives its approval to the extension, provided that Iberdrola, which owns the plant, to make improvements. CSN asks, for example, to reduce the radioactivity to get their workers. She also requested to improve its safety with respect to possible external aggression, after Greenpeace activists managed to enter the premises on 15 February. The group 'Ecologists in Action emphasizes that the Valencia facility is "very similar" to that which has been damaged in Japan, but "with a shield and without his worst anti-seismic measures." Complaint security flaws in the plant, and 100 incidents of level 0 (the lowest) and two Level 1, plus three times the radiation in the workforce in relation to other plants. The platform "Tanquem Cofrents" (Shut Cofrents) attributed this situation to the old plant, 27. Iberdrola denies, categorically, that there is risk and ensures that the radiation received by workers is well below permitted. Industry announced that the CSN will review again the situation Cofrentes "in light of new developments", in reference to the earthquake in Japan, "for additional action if needed." However, ministry sources say that in any case, this review will involve a reversal of the extension. Ecologists and parties criticize the government's decision. Carlos Bravo, of Greenpeace, calls it "irresponsible." Considers that the approval should be deferred pending safety tests. Also, "Ecologists in Action" considered "contradictory" to make the decision without waiting for CSN again the rule. According to the organization, is a sign that "whatever they say" the tests, "the result is already written."
Explosion Fukushima nuclear power plant.
"Nuclear power ... until they stop being" called on her blog Manuel Rico Trench Digital. "A pro-nuclear lobby scribes lacked time to explain that the best evidence of the safety of the plants was that after the brutal earthquake in Japan, only had problems one of the 54 facilities available there. Reality runs faster than the ideological prejudices and yesterday there were four plants in a state of emergency and can not be excluded that in Fukushima uncontrolled leakage of radioactivity. At the moment, more than 200,000 people have been evacuated from the area, which already have been "controlled gas discharges" with radioactive particles. The fact that the Fukushima reactor is identical to Garoña has served to reopen the debate about the safety of nuclear energy in Spain. Minister Miguel Sebastian has said that the English facilities are 'safe', but recalled the commitment of the Government 'for the replacement of the central' once they have completed their useful life. Perhaps it is a truism to remember, but no authority in the countries where there have been nuclear accidents admitted in advance that the plants were not safe. Or, put another way, there is evidence that nuclear plants are safe ... until they cease to be.
Ignacio School, in an article entitled "Close Garoña" says: The nuclear Garoña forty years old just two weeks ago and has already spent half a month from the date that should have been closed. If Garoña was in Germany, would be closed. Angela Merkel ordered ago few days to stop seven reactors, all opened before 1980. Many of these plants have fewer years removed our atomic dean. If Garoña was in France, also have been closed. In the country always nuclear industry as an example, nuclear is disconnected when the deadline for which they were designed, in France there are 11 reactors removed. If Garoña was in the U.S., have been questioned. Its system of containment, the Mark 1 model of General Electric, was criticized by the U.S. administration following the accident at Three Mile Island. Mark 1 All models that still work in the U.S. were reformed because several reports put in doubt about the safety of reactors identical to those now dying gasp in Fukushima. In the U.S. there, yes, an older plant still in operation: the Oyster Creek, which is 1969. But Garoña is neither in Germany nor in the U.S. or in France, is in Spain. If the PP does not avoid it, requested an extension, though these days dodging the debate, "Garoña closed in 2013. To their owners, each extra year is 250 million euros in profits.
A Japanese resident charged pedals his bike, in the rubble of his home town. AFP.
Guillermo
Pardo talks in his blog Migramundo of the lessons of Japanese dignity: "Amid all this scrum of information and counter-information, truths and lies, manipulations and distortions of messianic and apocalyptic visions of fear and terror, of certainty and uncertainties, the only thing that moves is the dignity with which the Japanese face in silence his misfortune. If the disaster had happened in other places, at this point the information would have been displaced by the story and the simplistic ideology, would be saturated with texts and images that speak of looting, rapes, robberies, murders, violent demonstrations, drama cinematically adulterated sentimentality and sensationalism. The accessory, most menial work of sensationalism, I would have won the battle to the basics. Japan is not Haiti, a country noted recent victim of a disaster comparable to some extent. And it shows up in the drift information they have taken a case to case. With Japan shows that kind of journalism is possible, there are other ways of addressing the facts without covering commercially desirable waste that can be reported without falling into disgrace or moral turpitude ... What is happening in Japan makes clear that we are not equal, not all people or all cultures should be measured by the same standards. Few places in the world is facing misfortune with so much honor. Not surprisingly, moves. "
But the grim reality and chilling other side also has its humorous. We demonstrated by Erlich, Ramón, El Roto and Forges.
Manel Fontdevila, with his usual humor: The nuclear debate, Japan, the argument, and Out Hostile outbreaks.
Territory Dick draws: Nightmares, Heroes, nuclear inertia, believes Europe and Our nuclear plants are very safe.
Pep Roig shows in Japan, things are as they are, as appropriate, Political-nuclear, Neverending Story and The Truth, the whole truth, lie, or not.
ended up with three videos. The first, on the tsunami in Japan. The second, on an exhibition of illusionism and science. And the third group on some interpretations of Mozart.
Abracadabra Exhibition, illusionism and Science in CosmoCaixa Barcelona.
Extraordinary and irreverent musical performers. Mozart would have laughed a lot with them.
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