06/04/2011 18:36
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Ian Hore-Lacy, World Nuclear Association | Analyst Wire (This is not a legal transcript. Bloomberg LP cannot guarantee its accuracy.) IAN HORE-LACY, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION, TALKS ABOUT JAPAN AT BLOOMBERG TV MARCH 14, 2011 SPEAKERS: FRANCINE LACQUA, BLOOMBERG NEWS ANCHOR IAN HORE-LACY, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION
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03:41 FRANCINE LACQUA, BLOOMBERG NEWS ANCHOR: Well there’s been a second explosion at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant. Following Saturday’s blast at reactor number one. Now reactor number three has blown up.
Most Popular Articles Most Recent Articles Well Tokyo Electric runs the power station, and it says that both explosions were hydrogen blasts in the casing of the plant, and not inside the reactor. However, the power company says that a meltdown at the plant is still possible. We can also confirm there are problems with reactor number two. It’s overheating, and operators are now set to pump seawater in to keep core temperatures down. Well we can talk now to someone who has worked closely with the nuclear reactor industry for the past
15 years. Alongside me is Ian Hore-Lacy, Director of Public Communications at the World Nuclear Association. Thank you so much for coming in, Ian. We don’t know exactly the extent of the casualties, or the devastation that this will have, if anything were to go wrong with the nuclear reactor plant. IAN HORE-LACY, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, WORLD NUCLEAR ASSOCIATION: Well we can be sure there won’t be any casualties on any major scale outside, because the plants are designed to contain anything that goes wrong inside the containment structure. Now all three plants have got very serious problems. And you have outlined some of those. I think it’s a bit graphic to say that one is blown up. Certainly there has been a hydrogen explosion, and a second reactor in number three. LACQUA: But it’s the pace (ph). So it’s not actually inside. HORE-LACY: It’s in the building. No, it’s not inside the reactor at all. It’s inside the reactor building. The same as number one, which had no public health significance at all. Although it’s probably damaged the reactor quite seriously. You know, the auxiliary services. And no doubt the same will be true in number three. LACQUA: You know when you say that there were no casualties, if they’ve evacuated 20 kilometers next to this nuclear powerplant. But you believe that actually whatever happens, even if we see some very strong aftershocks, it will - the problem won’t spread, or there is not going to be contamination.
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06/04/2011 18:36
findarticles.com Ian Hore-Lacy, World Nuclear Association | Analyst Wire
HORE-LACY: Yes, I am sure of that. And I am sure that the people who haven’t been evacuated, namely the operators of the plant also feel very sure of it. And I doubt if any of them are too nervous about their long- term retirement prospect. But the government obviously is being very conservative in ordering this evacuation. And properly so. LACQUA: And so no casualties just because, again, not all of us are nuclear physicists. So if you explain why it’s safe. Because if there is some kind of an explosion, it will be contained in this power plant?
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HORE-LACY: Well there is no explosion that is possible within the heart of the reactor. It’s not possible for anything new to explode. The hydrogen explosions were a surprise. And they’re (ph) a novelty. I don’t think those have happened in the industry before. And this is because of the fact that the fuel became uncovered in those two reactors, and you then get a reaction between the fuel clouting (ph) and the water, which makes hydrogen. And that’s associated with some venting from inside to relieve the pressure. And so that hydrogen has been vented. LACQUA: We are though getting some reports that actually certain people being tested have a small amount of radioactivity, around 100 kilometers away from the plants. Again, this is - it’s been mentioned in the «New York Times». Is it something that concerns you, or this would be just normal in this kind of process? HORE-LACY: Well I don’t know about 100 kilometers away. There is certainly some radioactive contamination nearby. But not anywhere near a level for health concern. LACQUA: And so this is something that actually happens, and then people can live quite - you know. It doesn’t affect them in any way.
HORE-LACY: Well I mean it’s in some cases just on their shoes and so forth. But there is some. And that is not ideal. But its way of being a public health concern. And I have got a - just about 12 hours ago I got a sheet of radiation monitoring data for around that Fukushima Daiichi plant. And there are no elevated levels that are of real concern. LACQUA: Ian, thank you so much. Ian Hore-Lacy for really putting spotlight on well the fact that it’s pretty safe for the moment. HORE-LACY: Oh yes. Well I think it’s safe period. Yes. LACQUA: Ian, thank you. 03:45 ***END OF TRANSCRIPT*** THIS TRANSCRIPT MAY NOT BE 100% ACCURATE AND MAY CONTAIN MISSPELLINGS AND OTHER INACCURACIES. THIS TRANSCRIPT IS PROVIDED «AS IS,» WITHOUT EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. BLOOMBERG RETAINS ALL RIGHTS TO THIS TRANSCRIPT AND PROVIDES IT SOLELY FOR YOUR PERSONAL, NON-COMMERCIAL USE. BLOOMBERG, ITS SUPPLIERS AND THIRDPARTY AGENTS SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN THIS TRANSCRIPT OR FOR LOST PROFITS, LOSSES OR DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE FURNISHING, PERFORMANCE, OR USE OF SUCH TRANSCRIPT. NEITHER THE INFORMATION NOR ANY OPINION EXPRESSED IN THIS TRANSCRIPT CONSTITUTES A SOLICITATION OF THE PURCHASE OR SALE OF SECURITIES OR COMMODITIES. ANY OPINION EXPRESSED IN THE TRANSCRIPT DOES NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF BLOOMBERG LP.
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