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Japan's Annual Nuclear Drill Highlights Problems

Posted by samzenpus on from the deja-vu-all-over-again dept.

AmiMoJo writes The Japanese government's disaster drill for nuclear power plants has highlighted some issues. The 2-day drill began on Sunday on the scenario that an earthquake had triggered an accident at the Shika plant in Ishikawa Prefecture. A group of residents gathered at a port to flee in boats on the assumption that the earthquake had made roads unusable. But the sea was too rough to sail, and officials had not considered an alternative in case of bad weather. Participating organizations were connected via a video link, but there were problems with the sound. Officials at the Toyama Prefectural government office could not hear part of the evacuation order.

12 of 43 comments (clear)

  1. Good job. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sounds like the drill successfully identified some process issues that can now be corrected. Good work.

    1. Re:Good job. by thaiceman · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The first post is actually useful and made by an AC, there is reason to stick around /. not all is lost yet.

      On a more serious note the AC hit the nail on the head, the point of doing test drills is to identify problems so they can be addressed before a bunch of people die or get irradiated so bad that they glow in the dark.

    2. Re:Good job. by i+kan+reed · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Yeah, and it definitely means they need a follow-up drill to see if they fixed the problems in the near future. Recurring problems should be spotted and taken into overall understanding of nuclear risk.

      Identified and fixable problems, on the other hand, are going to be misused by anti-nuclear advocates.

    3. Re:Good job. by Mr+D+from+63 · · Score: 2

      If you look at the true risks involved in mass evacuations vs expected exposure for most situations, its safer to stay home.

    4. Re:Good job. by SixFactor · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I second. Drills are the way to identify and correct flaws, as well as to identify areas for improvement. It is unfortunate that it took a one-two punch to turn around Japan's nuclear culture, but hopefully they come out stronger, as we had following the Three Mile Island Unit 2 event in 1979. Here in the U.S., even now, emergency drills at nuclear power plants continue to optimize emergency processes, and to test a plant's (including and especially its staff's) response to a significant adverse event. The typical drill postulates a series of malfunctions that inevitably lead to a radiation release, which then triggers an evacuation. This latter part is designed to exercise local and state resources as well.

      After Fukushima, the paradigm got turned a bit on its head: instead of a nuclear plant event causing the emergency, it's a natural calamity that degrades and destroys infrastructure that could lead to a radiation release. As a result, the lessons learned prompted at least one order, which requires all U.S. plants to be ready for events that are beyond their current design bases. In other words, if your plant was designed for a Category 3 hurricane, be ready to handle one that's much more devastating. As you might expect, this is no small expense, but the U.S utilities have committed to making the preparations, and you can find descriptions of these on the NRC website.

      --
      Science never settles, never rests.
  2. Nuclear powered drill by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I was SO confused

    1. Re:Nuclear powered drill by Chrisq · · Score: 3, Informative

      I was SO confused

      maybe this will help.

  3. That's how it all starts by Thanshin · · Score: 3, Informative

    INT. HIGH RANK MILITARY CONFERENCE ROOM - UNDERGROUND

    (A GENERAL takes center stage and points to a map of Japan with a large red circle around Tokio.)

    GENERAL: (In a dramatic tone)
    The disaster drill for nuclear power plants has highlighted some issues. The 2-day drill began on Sunday on the scenario that an earthquake had triggered an accident at the Shika plant in Ishikawa Prefecture. A group of residents gathered at a port to flee in boats on the assumption that the earthquake had made roads unusable. But the sea was too rough to sail, and officials had not considered an alternative in case of bad weather. Participating organizations were connected via a video link, but there were problems with the sound. Officials at the Toyama Prefectural government office could not hear part of the evacuation order.

    ***

    EXT. OCEAN - NIGHT

    (A gargantuan lizard shape moving underwater gets more and more defined as it moves closer to the surface. Then, it emerges.)

    GODZILLA : (In a dramatic tone) Roar.

  4. NRA is everywhere by slackoon · · Score: 2

    "Some 3,700 people took part, including about 1,000 residents near the plant and participants from a variety of government agencies, including the Cabinet Office, the NRA, the Defense Ministry and the National Police Agency."

    It's always a problem when the NRA and Charlton Heston are mixing up the long gun debate and nuclear watchdog drills

    my 3 year old can unlock the ipad, swipe to the next screen, load an app and have fun, why can't the PhD I work with?

  5. Re:Disaster preparedness by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 2

    >> Maybe Plan B or Plan C should have arranged for these people to make their way BY FOOT and ACROSS COUNTRY

    If nuclear fallout is part of the picture, you may not want people exposed and crossing terrain on their own.

    >> What has changed? Has the human foot quit working?

    We tend to care a lot more for the sick, elderly and young these days. Whereas a mobile tribe of hunter/gatherers may have abandoned the weak as they ran to safer ground, we don't.

  6. Re:Disaster preparedness by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So, the whole operation began with an ASSumption that the roads were impassable? Maybe Plan B or Plan C should have arranged for these people to make their way BY FOOT and ACROSS COUNTRY to some other assembly point?

    If you're actually worried about fallout from a nuclear accident, and the roads were impassable, then the most likely correct answer is "Stay in your homes. Close all windows and doors."

    Which gives the authorities several days to sort things out and arrange a proper evacuation.

    --

    "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
  7. Re:Disaster preparedness by bsolar · · Score: 2

    If you're really that worried the most likely correct answer is the Swiss solution: full mandatory nuclear shelter availability for all residents. Either you have to build your own nuclear shelter under your home or you have to pay a tax to use one of the common bunkers.

    http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/bunkers-for-all/995134