"Japan Dumps Backup Planning"

I'm not sure if that was the backup plan, but I think the reason everything failed is that the backup plan(s) in place depended upon the emergency generators.......for pumping or anything else.

The one scenario they didn't plan on, was having everything, including backup systems, flooded by a tsunami.

http://nei.cachefly.net/newsandevents/information-on-the-japanese-earthquake-and-reactors-in-that-region/ TEPCO has stopped a leak of highly radioactive water from the site into the Pacific Ocean. TEPCO had been trying various means to plug the leak in a concrete enclosure that carries electric cables since it was discovered Saturday. Pouring concrete and later an absorbent polymer into the enclosure were unsuccessful. On Monday, workers injected a colored liquid tracer into the system of enclosures to determine the flow path of the water. It showed that the radioactive water may be leaking from a cracked pipe, and then seeping through gravel into the concrete enclosure. Additional testing showed leakage from the crack in the enclosure into the ocean. Beginning yesterday, TEPCO injected approximately 1,600 gallons of liquid glass into the system, which stanched the flow of water. TEPCO is considering injecting more liquid glass into the area as a preventive measure.

Once again,as we plan ourselves into believing we have all ends covered and backups to relieve any mishap there is still one end swinging loosely waiting to the test our greatest inventions,' Mother Nature'. The earthquake and the massive waves could have been defeated if came at different times but man could not believe they would show up in a bundle and in a matter of min.. I think the backup plans were as good as the engineers could design in looking for all safe and secure reasonings. We must all begin to realize the unthinkable, unbelievable, can take place. It did, and now we pay the price for not being better prepared. and it looks to like the price will be equally so.

I feel that your comments deserve a GA.

My feelings exactly.

I'm glad the half educated are no longer with us. The corporations, its managers, Its inspectors are educated as are its engineers, but, money is the name of the game be it yens or dollars, and time is money on any project. I watched as crews hauled steel up one side of a multi-story hotel and casino in vegas and throw it off the other side because they wanted to finish ahead of another. the forms were built and the concrete poured. It was 8 years before the building was condeemed.. We all need to demand the Material and the skill meets what is put on paper. And this is why we hire independent inspectors. Its to late for this Japanese mishap, but we have the same type of events looming over our heads along our coast lines and it's time to get our uneducated heads out of our uneducated rears and spend the money we are wasting else where to prevent such a disaster on our shores.

Not sure what the intent of your statement wa, but a qualified inspector really isn't of much use when it comes to designing a backup generator above prospective flood stages. That is an engineering design issue, and since contractors and inspectors aren't privy to the actual design flood stage calculations (all they know is that the design floor elevation is supposed to be X or the building is to be constructed in such a manner). You are right in the statement time is money, even in design engineering, large corporations in particular utilize many "managers" to control budgets and assure the highest profitability with some consideration for liabilities. If i was the Japanese government I would seek to prosecute the people responsible for the design decisions that set the backup generators in perile when a disaster occurs. Afterall, back up generators are there to support facilities exactly when a disaster occurs. Now if there was a modification to the facility inconsistent with design, then they should prosecute the person who made the decision to implement the modification, whether it was a CM, contractor, Operations manager, or facilities maintenance worker. A little jail time would probably change their perspectives in the future. they should then allow huge law suits against the operating company, contractor and design engineering firm responsible for the back up generators facilities design. That would definitely get a response from the corporations during future projects. Unfortunately, this would not help with low bidder companies that cut corners, as these are usually small shops with no long term objectives, and many times fly by night operations planning to exist maybe a few years before moving on to something else.

They are all probably burning in hell already!!! If we are lucky......

Don't forget that Fukishimi 1 was built about 40 years ago.......and the others shortly afterwards.....within around 10 years of #1 if my memory serves me correctly......

I suppose the biggest problem is disposing of the nuclear waste instead of stockpiling as these are still dangerous. The damage could be minimized if the fuel rods are disposed immediately after use. Has anyone devised a safe method of disposing these? If not, then human is such a thoughtless species