Update: March 16, 2011. Click here to read about the Mark I containment units used at the reactors.
Updated March 15, 2011: GE’s thoughts and condolences continue to be with the people of Japan affected by the devastating impact of last Friday’s unprecedented natural disaster. And GE officials continue to closely monitor the events at the Fukushima Daiichi Power Plant, which suffered a loss of power after the tsunami struck the site.
During the magnitude 9.0 earthquake (the fifth largest earthquake in recorded history), the GE Boiling Water Reactors (BWR), performed as designed and initiated safe shut down processes. We understand that the back-up generators performed as designed to begin the cooling process. Shortly thereafter, we understand that the tsunami disabled the back-up emergency generation systems.
Immediately following the earthquake and tsunami, Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy (GE’s nuclear joint venture with Hitachi based in Japan) communicated to the Japanese Government and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the plant operator, that we were ready to assist them. The GE and Hitachi alliance assembled incident response and engineering teams in Tokyo and Wilmington, NC to provide 24/7 support.

While TEPCO is managing the response efforts, GE has been offering its assistance from the beginning and is now taking a number of additional actions, including:

• Providing technical assistance to TEPCO through our joint venture partners in Japan
  
• Providing technical assistance to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which is in turn providing assistance to the Japanese government
  
• GE’s cross-functional business teams are coordinating engineering and project resources as well as equipment availabilities to support equipment delivery in Japan.
  
• Engaging our network of more than 1,000 engineers within GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy to provide technical assistance to the NRC, Nuclear Energy Institute, the government of Japan and TEPCO.
  

• The fleet of GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) BWR reactors has a proven track record of performing reliably and safely for more than 40 years.
  
• GE has been in the nuclear industry for more than half a century. There are currently 92 GE-built BWR plants and plants using the licensed GE BWR design operating globally. Our BWR designs meet the rigorous regulatory requirements of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and other government regulators and have proven to be safe and reliable. Our reactors are one of the workhorses of the industry.
  
• The Unit 1 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi site went into commercial operation in 1971; it is a BWR-3, with a Mark I containment system. That means that the reactor is the third generation of the BWR design. The reactor in Unit 1 is the same type as several reactors in the U.S., although every reactor is designed specifically for each project and site. All GEH BWR designs meet all NRC requirements for safe operation during and after an earthquake for the areas where they are licensed and sited.
  
• BWR reactors are designed to be able to safely shutdown in the event of an earthquake or other natural disaster.
  _______________________________________
  Japan and Vietnam sign cooperation deal
  Jan 21, 2011 02:59 pm
  Source: WNN; Category: Nuclear Applications
  
  Japan and Vietnam have signed an agreement for cooperation in the  development and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The accord  follows the announcement in October 2010 that Vietnam had selected Japan  as a partner for cooperation in the construction of nuclear power  plants.  Under the agreement, Vietnam and Japan will cooperate in areas  including: research and application
  of radioactive isotopes and  radiation; the design, construction and operation of light water  reactors; nuclear safety and security; the transportation, storage,  processing and disposal of radioactive wastes; the development of
  human  resources; development of a legal system for the use of nuclear energy; 
  and the exploration and mining of uranium resources.  According to  Tanizaki, the agreement will create the necessary legal framework and  conditions for Japanese and Vietnamese nuclear energy-related agencies,  organizations and enterprises to conduct activities and investment  cooperation within the framework of the agreement.
  --------------------------------------------
  Vietnam on the go again.
  It had signed contract for two power reactors,and a research reactor with Russia.
  Now two more reactors from Japan with the American back-ups.
  But where are we now......
  From Prof Noramly Muslim
  --------------------------------------

Nuclear power is viable 
By: (Oct 04, 2010) 
(letter to editor, pulished in the sundaily)

I REFER to "Public not consulted on nuclear energy plan" (Letters, Sept 27). The 
decision by the Merkel government to go ahead with the plan for extending the 
operation of 17 nuclear reactors in Germany 12 more years was not well-received 
by anti-nuclear movements. Beyond that obvious effect, however, we need to look 
at the ramifications of that decision in a different light. 

The extension will give ample time for other energy resources, notably 
renewables, to attain maturity to undertake the task of supplying bulk power. 
Currently, renewable energy, even in industrialised country supplies a small 
percentage of their needs.
The extension also means a vindication of positive scientific and engineering 
progress made in nuclear reactor safety. Like all of us, engineers, scientists, 
and researchers also learn from mistakes and improve the next generation of 
products and services. The same is true for nuclear power reactors. 

Growth is strongly dependent on energy consumption. With the aspiration to 
become an advanced country with high income, Malaysia’s energy consumption too 
is expected to increase. But we are fortunate because our energy need coincides 
with the improved safety record of nuclear power generation and the growing 
realisation the world over that nuclear energy is a viable and secure source of 
energy. We should not miss that opportunity. 

The relevant authorities need to institute more public forums involving the 
general public. However, if consultation and participation means the right to 
reject, rather than the right to view genuine concern, then the real objective 
of public participation is lost and nothing is gained.
Nahrul Khair Alang Md Rashid
President
Malaysian Nuclear Society

Sun2Surf. Article's URL: http://www.thesundaily.com/article.cfm?id=52480