Japan's radioactive water worries S Korea

Tue, April05, 2011

By North Asia correspondent Mark Willacy, wires

South Korea has expressed concern to Japan about the pumping of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean.

Japan says it is dumping more than 11,000 tonnes of low-level radioactive water into the ocean to make space for even more contaminated run-off from water used to douse overheating fuel rods.

The government says the release is needed to stabilise the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.

South Korea's embassy in Tokyo has expressed concern that the release may be in breach of international laws.

"It's the proximity between the two countries that makes Japan's release of radioactive water a pressing issue for us," an unnamed official told South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

Tokyo Electric Power Co, the operator of the stricken plant, said the release of the water - the equivalent of more than four Olympic-sized swimming pools - would not harm marine life or seafood safety.

Traces of airborne radioactive material had already been detected in South Korea, but were said to be too minuscule to pose health risks.

Meanwhile, Singapore has suspended fruit and vegetable imports from another Japanese prefecture after raised radiation levels were detected in cabbages from the region.

The sample was from Hyogo, based around Kobe, 1,000 kilometres west of the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Elevated levels of radioactive iodine have also been found in young lance fish found off Ibaraki, about 140 kilometres south of the Fukushima plant.

Responding to public concern, the Japanese government says it will increase inspections of marine products.

Authorities have advised the public not to eat the species.

Singapore had earlier banned imports from 10 Japanese prefectures including Fukushima and Tokyo. sourced: ABC/AFP

Coal shortage threatens Queensland power

Via abc.net, by finance reporter Elysse Morgan and staff.
People across flood stricken south east Queensland are facing further electricity cuts, as power stations run low on coal stocks.
The floods have closed mines, and cut transport links; including rail lines, leaving power stations struggling to get enough coal.
CS Energy's Swanbank power station west of Brisbane, which supplies power to a million homes in the city, has three weeks supply left.
But its coal source in the Darling Downs remains cut off.
CS Energy chief executive David Brown says the company is considering trucking in coal in from other areas.
"We'll look at our fuel situation very carefully to ensure continued supply into the grid, we are looking at alternative sources of coal to that station should we not be able to get coal transported to the station," he said.
One of the company's power stations at Kogan Creek near Chinchilla, is relying on its staff being flown in and out to operate it, as it is cut off from any other transport links.
David Brown says a helicopter service has been in place for three weeks now and will remain until the water recedes.
This comes in addition to power cuts made by electricity supplier, Energex overnight.
It cut its power supply to the Ipswich central business district as authorities prepare for the biggest flood in more than 3 decades.
Energex spokesman Danny Donald says it is a question of safety.
"We will commence disconnection of the central business district of Ipswich and quite a number of surrounding suburbs as well," he said.
Energex says supplies will be restored once floodwaters recede and it assesses amount of damage caused to its network.