Legislators Swiss OK gradually plan nuclear energy (AP)

Berne, Switzerland - Swiss lawmakers approved a proposal Wednesday to phase out the use of nuclear energy, a move driven by the policy of the year election and skepticism on the use of atomic energy.

The majority of parliamentarians in the lower House of the Switzerland voted a progressive plan to close five reactors in the country by 2034.

The ballot passed the National Council with 101 votes in favour, 54 against and 36 abstentions. He had the support of all parties except the Democrats liberal pro-business and party of the nationalist Swiss people.

Switzerland nuclear plants currently generate almost 40 percent of the energy of the country. Hydropower provides the rest.

Opponents had warned that abandonment of the nuclear power plant would require a massive increase in conventional and alternative energy generation, raise costs of electricity for consumers, endanger the Switzerland efforts to reduce carbon emissions and make the country more dependent on foreign suppliers of natural gas.

Upper House of the Switzerland, the Council of States, must also approve the plan, then the Government must submit a detailed proposal on the release of nuclear power in the Parliament. The Cabinet is already for the decommissioning of reactors in the country between 2019 and 2034, after reaching a lifetime average of 50 years.

Efforts to abandon the nuclear in Switzerland were consolidated following the disaster at the plant of nuclear Fukushima Dai-ichi from the Japan, which was partially destroyed by an earthquake on March 11 and the tsunami.

Although the reactor of Switzerland are considered as safe and the country is not subject to major natural disasters, opinion polls showed most Swiss favoured close nuclear power plants. The issue has threatened to dominate political debate before the parliamentary elections of October 23.

Last month, demonstrators held the largest anti-nuclear protest in Switzerland in 25 years.

"Be constructive." We can do, "Minister of energy Doris Leuthard told legislators after the vote on Wednesday."

Suggestions to strengthen the power in Switzerland include buying more gas and the development of over of water, Sun and wind energy resources, more geothermal and other small scale power generating efforts.

Leuthard noted that many small Switzerland infrastructure projects are blocked at the local level. System of unique popular democracy in the country makes it easy for voters to stop wind farms and other electric Central alternatives built in their own backyard.

Monday, nearby to the North of the Switzerland Germany approved abolishing nuclear energy at 2022. The law now goes for the two houses of the German Parliament should vote on the plans of less than a month.

The Germany has 17 nuclear power plants, but closed for good, eight oldest after the disaster of Fukushima.

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Minister: China needs to intensify the nuclear oversight (AP)

BEIJING - China must increase the monitoring of its nuclear plants after the disaster of the Japan, a senior Chinese official said Friday, as the country advance an ambitious program to build more reactors.

The crisis caused by the earthquake and tsunami that hit the bare Japan "a multitude of problems" with how nuclear energy is managed, Vice Minister of the environment Li Ganjie said.

"Some of them are technical, some are at a hierarchical level, some are inevitable caused by natural disasters, while some are caused by anthropogenic factors and can be prevented," Li said at a press conference.

China must raise industry security standards, to make information more accessible and to establish a strong team of independent regulators to oversee nuclear safety, he said.

Department of Environmental Protection of IA oversees the nuclear industry of China with the most powerful National Development Reform Commission, which promotes nuclear power as important to the energy security of the country.

Even before the Japanese crisis, Li Department had urged the Government to more funds to monitor the growing nuclear industry.

China has 13 reactors in commercial operation, 26 in construction and another 52 expected, according to the World Nuclear Association, an industry group. While the Government ordered audits of security quickly after the start of the Japanese factory leaking radiation, China did not significantly alter its plans for nuclear energy growth.

China argues that the expansion of nuclear power plants is necessary to feed a hungry energy economy that is essentially dependent on coal.

In the vast press conference, Li touched on to other environmental issues, including pollution, heavy metals, which has affected thousands of Chinese children living near the metal smelters or battery plants in ces in recent years.

China grand challenges in the prevention of pollution of heavy metals, but would "investigate all industries lead battery and try to stop this trend of frequent accidents, Li has."

Combined with the scandals on milk and contaminated food, heavy-metal pollution has taken on urgency for heads of Government which promised to deliver a more sustainable economic growth, focusing on people.

Li also spoke about the recent protests in the region rich in resources of the internal Mongolia, which were triggered in part by anger on the destruction of the Prairies by mining companies.

Protests erupted last month after two Mongolian herdsmen were killed in an attempt to block the transport of coal and mining operations.

Li said: "if it is confirmed that the undertakings concerned have broken laws and regulations that led to these incidents, I think that Governments of and protection of the environment agencies hold these responsible companies".

Also Friday, authorities in Inner Mongolia ordered the restructuring of the industry of rare earth in the region to make it more sustainable, State media, said.

Belonging to the State of Baogang group will become the sole producer of rare earth in the region after four rare earth producers are merged into it and 31 others are closed, the regional economy and the Office of information technology said, according to Xinhua News Agency.

China has been limiting exports of rare earth, ostensibly to clean up the environment. But business partners are speculating that it is to favor domestic industries and the drive to the increase in world prices.

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Nuclear cull German to add 40 million tones of CO2 per year (Reuters)

London (Reuters) - plan of the Germany to close down all its nuclear facilities by 2022 will add up to 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year as the towers of country to fuels fossil, analysts said on Tuesday.

Additional emissions would increase the permit application of carbon under trade regime of the European Union, thus adding a little price for carbon and the costs of pollution for the EU industry.

"We will see a pick-up in coal German burn," said analyst for Barclays Capital Amrita Senator "longer term, they will be using more renewable energy and gas but this year and next, we should see much support for the coal burn.".

The phase-out is seen as more political that technical, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel trying to capture an anti-nuclear sentiment following the crisis of Fukushima at the Japan.

Ecologists welcome change, even if some have demanded a more rapid elimination, hoping that it could stimulate a shift towards renewable energies they regard as less harmful to avoid radioactive waste.

But analysts say that the move will also see an increase in gas emissions greenhouse warming equivalent to the annual emissions of the Slovakia, as the Germany uses gas and coal to plug a gap between the generations in power, all of which are two carbon-emitting more than nuclear energy.

This calculation implied scepticism with the statement of the coalition that he cut energy demand and develop the use of renewable energy such as solar and wind energy.

Deutsche Bank analysts found an extra 370 million tonnes of emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) until 2020, extra tones 406 million of Societe Generale.

Matteo Mazzoni, Nomisma Energia the Italy analyst, believes an extra extra tones 20-29 million of CO2 per year.

"This is not likely to be much higher prices in the medium term, unless the price of electricity comes under pressure," Mazzoni said, referring to the price of emission permits called allowances EU (saw).

SocGen analyst Emmanuel Fages increased its third-quarter 2011 EUA price forecast by a modest 0.5 cents to 17 euros per ton and reassess other prices.

The reference us contract for December 2011 delivery index rated 17.24 EUR ($24.63) by your lunchtime Tuesday, 35 cents or 2 percent on the day.

"The carbon price should obviously also get an uplift due to this feeling born of the decision, but it will be limited and temporary,"Fages said, adding "the market remains largely saturated (saw)" for the two years to come.""capping any significant increase in prices in the short term

The Community Exchange system is intended to limit industrial emissions by allocating a fixed quota of saw some 12 600 factories and power plants but the recession in 2009 left a glut of licence.

(Written by Gerard Wynn; editing by James Jukwey)

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Court of Italy gives the green light on the nuclear referendum (AFP)

MILAN (AFP) - the top appeals court Italy gave the go-ahead for a referendum on nuclear power Wednesday despite a Government decision to temporarily freeze plans to return to nuclear power following the disaster at the Japan.

Italians will vote June 12 and 13 in the referendum, which, if approved, and if participation is high enough, would impose a permanent ban on nuclear power.

Centre-left opposition has lobbied for a referendum and rejected the moratorium the Government announced in April as an interim measure.

The Italy of the values party opposition had slammed Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to not recognize the strong public opposition to nuclear energy to try to undermine the referendum.

Berlusconi has long advocated nuclear power.

Before the decision of the Court, he insisted on freezing on the program rendered unnecessary to carry out the referendum, while confirming the Government's intentions to pick up nuclear calendar within two years.

The head of the main opposition Democratic Party, Pier Luigi Bersani, said that the green light for the referendum was "excellent news."

He said "dirty tricks by the Government were exposed once more,".

The campaign "Vote Yes to stop nuclear", a group of more coordination of 80 associations, said the Court of appeal was "censored the arrogance of the Government and given citizens the right to decide on nuclear power."

Nuclear abandoned Italy after a referendum in 1987 following the Chernobyl disaster.

Berlusconi was scheduled to begin to build nuclear power plants from 2014 and produce a quarter of its electricity with atomic energy by 2030.

As well as nuclear energy, the referendum will call for Italians vote on privatization of the water.

They will also vote on the embattled Berlusconi - currently on trial for crimes of sex and fraud - it has the right to refuse to appear in court for a period of 18 months to enable him to concentrate on his political commitments.

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Westinghouse, submission of Hitachi to construct a Lithuanian nuclear power plant (AFP)

VILNIUS (AFP) - group us Westinghouse and the Japan Hitachi have bids to build a nuclear power plant in Lithuania to replace its Soviet-era single plant, closed in 2009, Vilnius announced Wednesday.

In a statement, Minister of energy Arvydas Sekmokas the Lithuania said that bids had marked an important step in the project, which includes also the nearby the Poland, the Latvia and Estonia.

Sekmokas said the bids were assessed and that the winner would be selected within the month.

In December 2009, Lithuania closed its plant Soviet, similar to the one that exploded in Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986.

The closure was one of the conditions of entry of the Lithuania, 2004 in the European Union.

He left the Lithuania, a nation of three million, dependent on Russian energy to generate its electricity. The Vilnius with Soviet master Moscow ties have been rocky since it declared independence in 1990.

Progress in the construction of a replacement plant have been slowed and dealt a blow in November when the Korea Electric Power Corporation unexpectedly withdrawn its bid, forcing the project back to square one.

The goal is to have the new plant on line by 2020, six years after the construction is scheduled to begin.

The planned plant maximum capacity is 3 400 megawatts.

Lithuania was unbowed by the crisis Central Fukushima nuclear Japan, which has raised concerns about atomic energy in many countries.

But he has repeatedly criticised plans by Belarus and the Russia for the construction of atomic power stations near the border, citing security concerns.

Germany this week decided to phase out nuclear power plants by 2022.

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Germany decides to abandon nuclear energy by 2022 (AP)

BERLIN - the Germany coalition Government agreed Monday to early to close nuclear plants by 2022, the country, said the Minister of the environment, making it the first major industrialized nation in the last quarter century to announce plans to go nuclear-free.

Older reactors seven of the country to the already off the grid pending safety inspections after the Central Fukushima disaster of nuclear Japan in March remain permanently offline, Norbert Roettgen added. The country a total 17 reactors.

Roettgen hailed the coalition agreement after negotiations through the night between the ruling parties.

"It's consistent." It is clear, he told journalists in Berlin. "This is why it is a good result."

Chancellor Angela Merkel has pushed through measures in 2010 to extend the life of the 17 reactors in the country, with the last scheduled to disconnect in 2036, but reversed its policy following the disaster of Japan.

"We want the future to be safe, reliable and economically viable electricity", Angela Merkel told journalists Monday.

The energy supply chain the Germany "need of a new architecture," requiring enormous efforts to stimulate renewable energy, gains efficiency and consolidation of the electricity grid, she added.

"We have to follow a new path," said Angela Merkel.

Germany, more great economy of Europe, is the only among the major industrialized countries of the world still using nuclear energy in its determination to be gradually replaced by renewable energy sources.

Italy decided to stop producing nuclear energy after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Through March - until seven reactors have been taken off line - just under a quarter of the electricity of the Germany was produced by nuclear energy, on the same share as in the United States.

Wind, solar and hydroelectric power currently produces about 17% of the electricity in the country, but the Government aims to increase its share to approximately 50 per cent in the coming decades.

Many Germans were fiercely opposed to nuclear energy since sent Chernobyl radioactive fallout on the country. Tens of thousands had on several occasions to the street in the wake of Fukushima to urge the Government to close all the reactors.

A centre-left government there ten years first wrote a plan to abandon the technology for good due to its inherent risks in 2021. But Government Merkel last year amended to extend the life of plants by an average of 12 years.

But the conservative Chancellor reversed its worldwide position after the earthquake and tsunami that paralyzed the plant of Fukushima Dai-ichi on 11 March, triggering a nuclear crisis.

Cabinet Merkel ordered seven older reactors of the country, all built before 1980, closing four days after the incident of Fukushima. Plants accounted for about 40 percent of the capacity of nuclear power plants in the country.

Germany used to be a net exporter of energy, and the Agency to oversee its electrical network said Friday that the country is self-sufficient even without the seven reactors and another plant that has already been disconnected for more than a year for maintenance work.

The decision of the coalition Government largely follows the findings of a commission of Government intervened on the ethics of nuclear energy, delivered its recommendation for the abolition of the technology by 2022 Saturday. Details of the final report must be submitted no later than Monday.

Close the reactors still more, however, require billions of euros of investment in the more central of natural gas, renewable energies and an overhaul of the country's electricity network.

Also, the Government of the neighbours in Switzerland, where nuclear energy produces 40 percent of electricity in the country, announced last week it intends to close its reactors gradually once they reach their life expectancy of 50 years - which would be the last plant off the coast of the grid in 2034.

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Germans are missing with nuclear closing date: Sweden (Reuters)

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - fix a date to close nuclear power plants of the Germany is a bad solution for the country and it should rather focus on boosting the use of renewable energy, the Sweden said Monday.

The Germany coalition Government decided to maintain permanently closed eight oldest reactors in the country and the rest by 2022 in response to the disaster of Fukushima at the Japan. The decision was a dramatic policy reversal.

Group of State-owned Swedish Vattenfall operates two nuclear power plants, even if they are offline since 2007. He holds a minority in a third factory.

"The important thing is not the year nuclear power stops, the important thing is to build renewable energy so that a reduced reliance on nuclear energy and emissions", Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren said on public radio.

He said Germany had troll in the promotion of renewable energies and that such a position "to the hectic energy policy" which was not good for a country.

"In Sweden we have everything we can to prevent this," he said.

Germany will also have to import nuclear power plants of the France and boost his confidence in the power of fossil fuels, said he.

"They themselves at risk of not meeting the double challenge that we have to reduce the dependency on nuclear power and reduce emissions,", he added.

Carlgren said that he would not comment on whether Vattenfall to losses of the German decision and that it belonged to Vattenfall to make this first call.

Vattenfall said that he will not comment until the German Government takes the decision of official closure June 6.

(Reported by Patrick Lannin; editing by James Jukwey)

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SC nuclear power, becoming the first to go digital (AP)

Seneca, s.c. - the digital revolution is finally reach of American nuclear power plants.

Some time in the coming weeks, technicians will finish installing digital controls for systems of operation and safety of a reactor of the nuclear power plant in Western South Carolina, a move being closely watched by the other nuclear complexes.

In a country where a digital mixer can be purchased for about $30 Wal-Mart, the Oconee nuclear power reactor will be the first 104 reactors in United States not controlled do not with the same analog technology introduced tapes of the world and the rules of the slide.

It took so long to go to Central nuclear digital because regulators wanted assurances the new control systems were as reliable as old and cannot be compromised by hackers.

"Systems in plants now, they do an excellent job." "Plants are very safe - they do the work for years," said Joe Naser, technical Direction with the Electric Power Research Institute.

Going digital is designed to save money. Most of the systems in a nuclear power plant are monitors with four sensors. If two of them were out-of-whack readings, engineers often have plant "voyage", or stop, until the problem is solved. If a nuclear power plant sits idle for a day, it can cost a company of public services more than 2 million of $. This is not detached change, even for a business as a plant operator based Duke Energy North Carolina, which earned 1.3 billion in 2010.

Unlike a human engineer, which can take only to the extent both a tool, the digital system supports thousands of readings at any time. The computer can understand instantly if a sensor is broken and ignore it.

"These utilities need to keep the plants running." Having unexpected outages of an analog system is not doing what we need to do - it is a financial risk, "said Jere Jenkins, Director of the laboratory of radiation at the University of Purdue."

While the digital control of nuclear power plants is widespread in Europe and in Asia, the United States has been on the sidelines the digital revolution has brought iPods Americans for their music, films on the Internet and tiny computers linked to satellites to help find the store that sells these things of streams to their cell phones.

The digital systems of nuclear power will provide operators with a lot more data on the activities of the plant and a level of precision impossible with an analog system, which often requires the movement of components to get things done.

Other utilities are closely watching. The nuclear power station early in the United States went online with the analog controls in 1996, the same year DVD have been introduced to the Japan. More than half of nuclear power plants of the nation are at less than 30 years, and only three have come since 1990.

"It's to the point where you cannot replace equipment anymore," Jenkins said.

Other nuclear power plants will be tempted to follow the lead of Oconee as soon as they can afford the conversion goes well, said David Lochbaum, nuclear safety of the Union of Concerned Scientists project Director.

"There are a lot of eyes on this.". If it goes well, you'll see probably many people in the queue of realization. If it is not well, they will wait for Duke Energy smooth out the kinks, "said Lochbaum.

The Oconee nuclear plant operators will probably meet some unexpected problems, as the new system is implemented, but they should all be minor because the tests in-depth, said Lochbaum.

In addition, Duke Energy said that he made so that its engineers can manually take on all digital process for problems.

One of the major concerns of regulators was the software used to run the new controls could be hackées of outside plant concerns. Documents submitted to the nuclear regulatory Commission showed Duke Energy software provider has designed a system with no external network connection. Any communication between the reactor operators and the system is highly restricted and must be authorized by the operators of the plant.

The new 1 engine control system is part of the $ 2 billion in modernization of Duke Energy to maintain its three reactors at the station, which opened in the early 1970s, run safely for the next 30 years. Control Panel installing coincides with an interruption of in-flight refueling provided. 2 Reactor will get its new digital Panel during the year next refueling fuel, and a reactor 3 upgrade is planned for 2013. All three reactors only new panels cost $ 250 million.

Oconee nuclear power reactor operators have spent the months of training on an exact replica of what the new control panel will look like. And it looks a lot like the old system.

"One of the objectives is to make the life of the operators, I say easy, but more focused on the main aspects of the work of the operators." As a pilot, you want him to focus on the aircraft of flight - you do not want him spending all day trying to get the cabin pressure to the right, "said Jeff Hekking, a reactor operator senior who helped test the new system.

In a recent simulation, Hekking and two other operators deal with a problem with the water that cools the reactor and maintains the nuclear reaction failed. Dinging bells, similar to what someone would use in old movies to assign a hotel Groom, mark when things are first going offside. The rear suspension engineers and let it get worse. Dozens of lights small red rectangle green as control bars fall back into the heart of the reactor to shut down the nuclear reaction. Warning sirens sound, but they are sieved wails, screaming not claxons.

Engineers then begin to control the situation, push buttons and pulling levers. Orders are entered and repeated to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Reactor operators work on 12 hours straight. At least three are in each reactor control room at any time, even to eat their meals at the grey desks behind flat screen monitors. Others are the maintenance, control of components or other tasks, but may be introduced into the room if necessary.

Hekking, 40, is an operator of reactor for 19 years and is used for working with components manufactured at the time where he was born next to the latest technology, as implemented at Oconee control panels.

"Nuclear power is a really interesting world, said Hekking." "We have both the oldest and the newest and coolest".

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Jeffrey Collins is available at http://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP

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The Germany at the nuclear waste by 2022 (AFP)

BERLIN (AFP) - Germany Monday became the first great power industrialized to accept an end to nuclear energy following the disaster at the Japan, with a phase-out to be completed by 2022.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said the decision, hammered by its coalition of center-right from one day to the next day, marked the beginning of a "fundamental" consolidation of the energy policy in the economy of the world number four.

"We want the power of the future to be more secure and both reliable and affordable," Merkel told journalists that she accepted the findings of a commission of experts on nuclear power, that it has appointed in March in response to the crisis at the Fukushima plant to the Japan.

"This means that we must have a new approach for the network of supply, energy efficiency, also followed and renewable energies in the long term from the process," said Merkel, whose popularity has suffered in his previous position worldwide.

The commission considered that it would be viable in a decade in the Germany to suspend all 17 of its nuclear reactors, of which eight are currently off the coast of the electricity grid.

Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen announced the closure progressive early Monday after seven hours of negotiations at the offices of Merkel among partners in the ruling coalition. He said that the decision was "irreversible."

Seven reactors already are offline of the oldest country, whose Government has closed three months pending a probe of security after the urgency of Fukushima.

The eighth is the plant of United, in the North of the Germany, which has been offline for repeated years due to technical problems.

Six other reactors are shut down at the end of 2021 and more modern three would stop operating at 2022.

Decision Monday, which could meet the legal challenges of energy companies, means that Germany will find the 22 per cent of its electricity needs that have been covered by nuclear energy from other sources.

Roettgen insisted that no there was no danger of blackouts.

"Ensure us that the electricity supply will be ensured at all times and for all users", it is committed.

The Government must now determine how it can make the difference with the sources of renewable energy, natural gas and power plants to coal.

Merkel Steffen Seibert spokesman, said the plan would deliver four priorities: standing Germany: a world economy at the top of the page, an adequate and affordable energy supply, climate protection and independence of energy imports.

The decision is in fact a return to the schedule defined by a Green-Social Democrat coalition Government back ten years ago.

It is a lesson in humility u-turn for Merkel, who at the end of 2010, decided to extend the lifetime of the reactors by an average of 12 years, who have kept their open until the mid-1990s.

This decision was unpopular even before the earthquake and tsunami in March severely damaged the installation of Fukushima, creating antinuclear mass demonstrations in Germany.

Merkel zig-zaggant on what has been a very emotional issue in the country since the 1970s he cost in the last elections as the anti-nuclear Greens gained ground.

Nuclear opponents slammed the deal Monday and said they would stage fresh protests the month next call for a more rapid elimination.

During this time industrial giant Daimler warned that closure would undermine the competitiveness of the European economy the top of the page.

"Our backs on affordable energy supply is clearly a risk," Chief Executive Dieter Zetschke told the daily Bild, adding that he saw the decision as "strongly colored by emotions."

Fukushima accident sparked a new global debate on the safety of nuclear power plants, with opinions differ widely.

Minister of environment of Sweden criticized the decision of the Germany, saying it would lead to a disjointed energy policy which is not adequately fight against climate change.

The United States and Britain announced their intention to construct of harmful new reactors as an alternative to the production of greenhouse gas emissions while providing a relatively inexpensive supply of energy.

Italy demolished nuclear in 1987, a year after the Chernobyl disaster, while the Switzerland neighbour, said last week, and that it would gradually be atomic energy by 2034.

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Japanese nuclear zone expanded leave home (AP)

TOKYO - Japan said Monday it will stabilize and shut down its nuclear power plant disaster in six to nine months, as expected, as residents of the two cities most around her were evacuated in accumulated radiation concerns.

Chronology of the Government to stabilize the factory has been called into question last week after new data showed that damage to a reactor at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex were worse than expected. That assessment also encouraged the Government to recognize that the reactor fuel rods had mostly melted shortly after the earthquake on March 11 and the tsunami failure of cooling plant system.

Until the reactors are shut down, they continue to leak radiation, but many more small quantities in the early days of the disaster. However, the volume of contaminants spread plant- and their accumulation in places outside the area of 12 miles (20 kilometres) of evacuation - convinced the Government to residents of the order to leave the cities more end of April. Some of these evacuations began this weekend.

In a rare bit of good news, the authorities said Monday that their chronology original to stabilize the reactors is possible because the temperature in the heart of the unit 1 reactor has fallen to almost 100 Celsius (212 F)a level deemed safe and close to a cold case.

"We believe that we can keep us during the term," said Goshi Hosono, assistance from the Prime Minister and Director of the task force nuclear crisis, referring to the timetable established in April to bring the troubled reactors three factories at a stop cold and stable of six to nine months.

"What is crucial is how we can proceed with cooling.". Even if the core had melted, they are somewhat kept cool, "said Hosono.

The plant, operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Co., is still escape a large amount of contaminated water - that one of the many problems faced by workers who tried to bring under control the past two months.

Plan of workers plant to pump water highly radioactive swelling within the engine 3, construction of a makeshift storage unit. TEPCO has taken a similar step with water contaminated by an another reactor after a massive leak in the Pacific in April triggered criticism in and out of the Japan.

Monday, the operator has released data from the first hours of the crisis for the first time, to comply with a request of the Government. Spokesman Junichi Matsumoto TEPCO said nothing indicated that the earthquake caused parts of reactor key or equipment damage, confirming the story that the tsunami has been the cause of the crisis.

Hosono said Monday that a similar collapse had probably been units 2 and 3 as they were both out of the water for more than six hours after the power outage on March 11. 1 Unit reactor core was out of the water for more than 14 hours, he revealed Monday.

Most of the unit 1 fuel melted and collapsed at the bottom of the pressure vessel which cements the sticks, and some who ate in the vessel and monitor into a large beaker-shaped containment vessel, officials said.

TEPCO said Monday there was no indication of the preliminary data published early plant in the early hours of the crisis, for the first time since the disaster, but denied that there was no early indication of damage to the key partiesincluding speculation ducts,

During this time, approximately 50 residents of Kawamata and 64 of Iitate left their homes during the weekend and began to adapt to life in evacuation centers after leaving their homes over the weekend on the orders of previous Government.

Approximately 6 700 people remain in the two areas and are expected to leave at the end of June.

Cities are one of several that were recorded but relatively high radiation readings which are outside of a previous 12 miles (20-km) area of evacuation of radius around the nuclear power plant.

At the end of April, the Government said residents in these areas should be prepared to evacuate in the months ahead due to concerns about cumulative radiation.

Officials in Iitate said they want to have most of the residents of the city were evacuated at the end of the month. The picturesque, rural village has a population of 6 500 before the earthquake and about 2,000 people have already moved voluntarily.

On Sunday, four families with babies or pregnant women left the city, according to an Iitate official who did not give his name because he was not allowed to speak to the media.

He said that it is difficult to estimate how many people rest, in the city because many to evacuate on their own and the village has no details on their situation.

Officials have said that they have not set an exact date for final evacuations because some residents may have improperly leaving - because they are owners of livestock or for other reasons - and may require additional time.

While the Japan worked to move people away from the factory, the United States more relaxed some of its advice to its citizens in the Japan - which has been more rigorous than Tokyo.

Washington has recommended that Americans remain at least 50 miles (80 km) of the plant, but an alert to update trip Monday, said that it was safe for people in transit on this area using a road and rail line.

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Associated press writers Eric Talmadge in Tokyo and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report.

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Third worker died in the Japan of the troubled nuclear power plant (Reuters)

TOKYO (Reuters) - a crippled tsunami in the Japan of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant worker died Saturday, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co., said, bringing the number of deaths at the complex in three since a massive earthquake and tsunami in March.

Despite the prolonged nuclear crisis, Prime Minister Naoto Kan is set to announce at a Summit of the G8 in France that Japan will continue to use nuclear energy, said the Yomiuri newspaper.

The cause of the death of the worker was unknown. The man, the sound of the 1960s, was employed by one of the Tokyo Electric contractors and began working at the plant Friday. It has been exposed to 0.17 millisieverts radiation Saturday, Tokyo Electric said.

Maximum level of the Japanese Government for exposure to male workers of the plant is 250 millisieverts for the duration of the effort to bring it under control.

The worker fell ill 50 minutes after the start of the work at 6: 00 pm Saturday (5 pm EDT Friday) and scopes to the unconscious of medical plant room. He later moved to a hospital near and confirmed the deaths, said a spokesman of Tokyo Electric.

At the factory working conditions are harsh. Goshi Hosono, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister Naoto Kan, and a legislative decision of the Democratic Party, expressed concern the complex Fukushima work environment on Wednesday.

"I would like to spend my energy to improve working conditions." Many people have told us work (at the factory) environment is too bad, "Hosono said at a press conference.

The March earthquake and tsunami has triggered the failure of cooling plant system and caused radiation to seep into the atmosphere and the sea, which prompted Kan to review energy policy nuclear leaning of the Japan to zero.

Kan intends to tell the g-8 at the end of may in Deauville, in France, the Japan will rely more on renewable energy, but will also improve the safety of Atomic Energy and continue the use of nuclear power, clearly making the country does not withdraw from nuclear energy production, the Yomiuri said.

Engineers still have difficulty tackling the Fukushima plant. Two employees of Tokyo Electric disappeared while patrolling the plant shortly after the earthquake and were found dead.

The Government plans to soon unveil a timetable to show how it is intended to proceed with the steps related to nuclear as crisis containing radiation leakage, and enquêter investigate the cause of the accident, said the Asahi newspaper.

In what could be a fresh obstacle to bring the troubled controlled plant, Tokyo Electric said that he found a large amount of water in the basement of the building that houses the reactor n ° 1 at Fukushima plant.

It is likely that the water that has been injected into the reactor it cool a leak in the basement, an official of the Tokyo Electric said.

(Reported by Kiyoshi Takenaka;) Editing by Daniel. (Magnowski)

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