May 07, 2011

Serious Summer Energy Issues: 1



Watching the "news" more often again.
Getting really worried about the Hamaoka Reactor shutdown order. If enacted, there will be consequences like lower energy output and energy sharing and possibly even the severe energy SHORTAGES that we saw when the Fukushima Reactor went.

Hamaoka is in SOUTHERN Japan.
In Southern Japan, it's 24 degrees (75 F) outside and it's only May 6.
On top of which, Kansai Electric's motto is "nuclear power". Fukushima was a big plant, and looking at the map of reactor locations (JAIF), you can see in the south, a similar story is waiting to unfold- littered with nuclear reactors like empty bottle cans and snack packs on the beach.

Taken in bits in pieces, it doesn't seem like something to be all that worried about. Connect the dots and you get a picture of one possible future that is not so promising for your fuzzy friend.

* Current Temperature in Southern Japan. It's only May and it is 24 degrees (75 F) outside. It's only going to get hotter. Check out weather.com to see a general year-round temperature graphs (on a monthly basis) for your area. For example, here is my area showing current and the previous year's temperatures for May. You can then click through all the months.

* Possibility of Energy Shortages. So many of the southern reactors are being stopped. Where will the supplemental energy be coming from? They spoke of households saving(cutting) energy by 15% as a method to prevent any shortages. To which most people interviewed on the NHK morning news (5/14) said "not really possible to conserve anymore then we are now..." or "I have young children at home. As much as adults can put up with it, children can not and there is also the issue of health maintenance." This actually is a major issue. If you have ever lived in Japan long term you know that summer time is rampant with mild to severe food poisoning cases because even under normal conditions you are always struggling to keep food from spoiling.

* Possibility of Planned Blackouts: Because of 3/11, Japan is a little more prepared for an energy crisis. But as we saw with the Fukushima Reactor Meltdown (and yes, now they are finally admitting it was a meltdown.), one of the ways they handled the energy shortages was to enforce planned blackouts. Blackouts happened during all times of the day.
Blackout Scenario: It's 95 degrees (F) outside. How is your fuzzy living through 3-4 hours of this heat while you are stuck at the office??
And for that matter, assuming they live through that, how are you even going to turn the AC back on after power has been restored??

Let us back up a little to consider the official plans in place and how you might prepare in this instance.....
After 3/11, TEPCO created a Planned Blackout Area Group List in order to make the planned blackouts go more smoothly.
Did you find your location?
No?
Don't feel badly, many native Japanese had difficulty figuring out which blackout grouping they were in too.

On top of which, even if you did manage to figure out what block you fell into, from the official TEPCO HP....
"-Starting and ending time of blackout periods may slightly differ.
-Depending on supply and demand conditions on the actual days, blackouts may occur at times which were not previously announced."

In other words, you are basically left in the same situation as the Blackout Scenario above. Hands-tied.

So what happens when it does all fall into line?
Another year of record summer temperatures + energy shortage + blackouts....

How many bottles of ice can your freezer hold and how long will they last?

I would suggest you start packing and look to return to... wherever.
If you will be returning to the USA, stay tuned as I will be introducing some of the professionally licensed pet transport companies I have been talking to or have used in the past.


☆.。.:*・☆・*:.。.☆☆.。.:*・☆・*:.。.☆☆.。.:*・☆・*:.。.☆

Running total of lost reactors (Southern Japan):
Chuubu (Hamaoka) reactors: all, stopped.


5/9 UPDATE
:
Well, there goes the stinkin' HAMAOKA reactor. (Chuubu Electric)
From the 7PM NHK news:
HAMAOKA is/will be COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN.
(Right before summer no less.)
Officials not sure they will be able to provide the energy needed. Looking to increase production from water and coal based energy plants but will also have to consider having Kansai Electric send electricity to help compensate
.


Cheers and see you again! (^_-)-♪

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