Iodine levels in two Japanese nuke plant workers 10 times above norm

Forum Contacts RSS		RUSSIAN

RIA Novosti, PUBLISHED May 30, 2011

Two employees of the company operating Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant have received an excessive dose of radiation that increased tenfold the iodine level in their bodies to a level exceeding the allowable, Kyodo news agency said on Monday.

Iodine in the two workers' thyroid glands was registered at the level of 7690-9760 Becquerel, the agency said. The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), said the workers had apparently received a dose of radiation exceeding the maximum of 250 millisievert set by the government for plant employees.

Both workers feel fine, TEPCO said. The workers were involved in repairs at the plant on March 11, when it was seriously damaged by a devastating earthquake and tsunami, the company said.

The government increased the maximum radiation dose for TEPCO employees working at the plant to 250 from 100 millisievert several days after the earthquake.

It will probably be impossible to stabilize the situation at the plant, where a nuclear meltdown has began at several reactors, by the end of the year, TEPCO officials were quoted by Kyodo as saying. This means that those evacuated from the 20-kilometer zone around the plant will not be able to return to their homes before the deadline set by the government.

Topics: NPP Fukushima Daiichi

Other news:

U.S. lifts market restrictions against Rosatom

Rosatom will no longer be required to get a special license from the U.S. Department of Commerce to cooperate with American companies.

Russia lacks personnel to dismantle nuclear sites

Russia is to decommission and dismantle 42 nuclear facilities by 2015 and 188 by 2020, Rosatom department head Yevgeny Komarov said.

ARMZ acquires Australian uranium producer in $1.2 bln deal

ARMZ will pay eight Australian dollars per share, which represents a 15.5 percent premium on the average market price for 20 trading days.

Hero of the day

Alexander Chistozvonov: end of the Romantic period

Today, the army of managers is earnestly believing that one can take the man responsible for the licensing of alcoholic beverages, and put it on licensing, and even to supervise the nuclear reactor.

INTERVIEW

Christophe Behar
We are preparing now a review of these design options and the decision has to be made in 2012, by the public authorities. ASTRID basic and detailed design will be launched afterwards.

OPINION

Dmitry Kosyrev
Asia cannot be split into pro-China and anti-China camps because of economic and other realities, including Mother Nature herself.