George Eliason ukrainewar.info
Posted with the authors permission by Michael Collins

There is no end to the problems created by the United States installed coup government in Ukraine. Now, we have a nuclear safety issue with huge downside potential. Official are evading the issue. We do know this. Pravy Sektor, the extremist right wing group, tried to storm the Zaporozhye nuclear plant three times and was then awarded with the task of guarding the facility.

(12/31 Eastern Ukraine) Over the last week, more publications including Zero Hedge, have started reporting on the possibility of a still developing nuclear problem at Zaporozhye, the largest nuclear plant in Europe. This news has been widely circulated in Eastern Europe over the last few weeks.

The problem with nuclear concerns inUkraine has been and remains verification. Ukrainian sources have not been forthcoming. When this first occurred I was contacted through a 2^nd party and told directly after the officially reported transformer incident a radiation spike was observed in Crimea which is 140km away from Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. This spike was small against background radiation but noticeable on a geiger counter. I was also given hacked files of the emergency conversation that happened at the plant that day. They are included at the bottom of the article. The closeness to what is coming to light makes them too close to be ignored.

Understanding Geiger Counters

The first thing most people don't realize is that geiger counters are location sensitive. They are calibrated against background radiation for a specific location. This means if you take a geiger counter and move as little as 1 km, the background radiation itself could be different and the measurement inaccurate. Known background radiation is the Zero point on a calibrated geiger counter.

Second and as important is that all sensitive measurement tools need to be calibrated and certified to be useful. Sensitive tools go out of calibration by themselves over time. After Fukashima, a new normal needs to be considered.

What this means to Europe is the possibility of a larger than Fukashima event opening up in its own backyard and without getting a handle on it now- quite literally. Depending on which way the wind blows without verifying anything they are leaving their own countries futures in the hands of Ukrainian nationalists that are in the middle of trying to perpetrate a genocide in Donbas.

Ukraine reported an incident (non-nuclear) which was a transformer short circuiting, not an accident which is used for radiological issues. This was carried across the nuclear industry forums that talked about it. The case was closed on that basis.

As reported at Zero Hedge-Two days ago we reported of the odd coincidence of a 2nd emergency shutdown at Ukraine's Zaporozhye Nuclear reactor - Europe's largest nuclear power plant - following our earlier fears of disinformation. Today, we get information of a leaked report sourced from three different place - unconfirmed for now (but RT is trying to verify) - that Ukrainian nuclear scientists misled the public and a radioactive leak has been detected - citing the country’s emergency services claiming that levels of radiation are 16.3 times the legally permitted norm.

What does 16.3 times allowable (legal) mean? In a pre-Fukashima world if any nuclear plant in the US were to report 1X allowable radiation/ steam (contamination) release every major publication in the country would be focused on that event.

Allowable release at nuclear power plants falls under a Zero tolerance policy. At Zaporozhye power plant background radiation before the event registered at 10-12 counts per minute on a geiger counter. At 50 counts it does not cause an alarm but is something to monitor.

At 100 counts the threshold for alarm is reached and radiological personal protective gear might be warranted. Zaporozhye is well beyond that threshold now.

Post Fukashima Norms

At 16.3 X allowable (legal) the measurement is not 16.3 cpm(counts per minute) X 10-12cpm(known background) at Zaporozhye. The key to understanding this is knowing what the highest allowable figure radiation exposure(milli-rems, milli- seiverts, beats per minute) is in Ukraine and starting there. Ukraine is working with the MAX allowable figure not the normal one. The terminology used and lack of measurement is the surest indicator of there being a problem present.

My background in RAD

First things first, I AM not a nuclear engineer, or nuclear chemist. These are the industry people that need to weigh in. However I used to have locked high rad clearance and what that means essentially is I know a bit more than the average person about what the slight of hand in the official figures could mean.

As an example from a Fukashima #3 sister plant I did some work at over 10 years ago, a few times I went to situations that because of the stage in the refueling; dose was very high.

Background to RAD work

Each assignment or job starts out with a detailed briefing which even includes where not to go in a room or what to touch, and how long I could be there before I had to leave, or where I should stand away from the work if there were any complications to lower my radioactive dose. For nuclear plant work this attention to safety is the norm, not the exception. You are monitored by an HP (Health Physics) and Nuclear Hygienists that make sure you do not get into trouble. They monitor your dosimetery (measures personal radioactive dose and exposure) as well as local radiation levels as part of their job.

The Hand can be Quicker that the Eye

Relating one of only a few situations that stand out in my mind, the following should make believing the Ukraine's 16.3 X Allowable (legal) limit unacceptable without independent verification.

In certain rare situations the Allowable limit is on a sliding scale. This is the one thing the world learned post Fukashima.

Exposure= Dose + Time

During a refueling at a Fukashima #3 sister plant I was asked to go into a really high radiation location because I had the skill sets to get the job done quickly. I went into the containment and the HP was there waiting at the edge of the work area. I took 2 steps beyond the HP and my dosimetery started to alarm. He evacuated me and they raised the alarm level on my dosimetery a little. This was the new norm for me from that point.

I returned to the work area and went past the HP a 2^nd time. I didn't make it any further. The alarm sounded and I was again told to leave. Again they raised the alarm level. This was my new norm. Simply put my norm was anything that allowed me to do what I needed to get done.

This happened a third time. On my way out I told the HP to call ahead and make sure it was sufficient for the work at hand this time. I was getting dosed every time I went in and the more time I spent going in and out the more radiation I would be faced with.

The point is that after a few tries the new norm or Allowable limit was established that allowed me to do my work without interruptions.

While this sliding scale is necessary once in a while in a closely monitored and controlled situation it is perverse to impose it on an unknowing world such as was done because of the lies before and after the Fukashima event.

What We Know about Zaporozhye

We now know that radiation was released and reports of a steam blow off are starting to surface. Unfortunately this is in line with information I was told about a fire in the cooling system and a contaminated side steam pipe burst inside the containment (their word sarcophagus). We know people that have left the area have reported that iodine tablets are being handed out to people that live close to the plant.

We know that the plant shut down all social media for plant workers so they would not talk about the incident. This was a highly unusual move for a transformer problem.

A second reactor(#6) has been shutdown at the same plant and restarted at the same plant on December 28^th or has it. This linked document shows that unit #6 is still down on December 29^th.

A third at South Ukraine Nuclear Power plant which has been testing Westinghouse fuel assemblies is in an abnormally long shutdown. Normal is 30-40 days. This is predicted at 120 days.

This is not the first time this year Zaporozhye had unscheduled shutdowns.

In the spring Pravy Sektor tried unsuccessfully to storm nuclear power plants 3 times. Later the government of Ukraine ordered that they guard nuclear material, nuclear facilities, and even nuclear waste through their troops in the Ukrainian National Guard.

As surreal as it sounds Poroshenko's government put the terrorists that tried to take nuclear plants by force in charge.

The Worst Possible Problem with the Information about Zaporozhye

This copy of a leaked letter from Westinghouse speaks of even larger problems at an undisclosed reactor in Ukraine on December 6^th. This has not been reported until now.

Shortly after Unit #3 was reported as a non nuclear incident, an anonymous bomb threat was given about Chernobyl. At that same time frame I was given the following files of a conversation hacked by an Anonymous style group called cyber-militia (КиберОполчение). I really hate using the term false flag event. Given the nature of the leaked conversation below an anonymous bomb threat would give Kiev cover in the event that they lost control over the reactor. The text conversation unfortunately gives context to what we are now learning about the problem reactors and specifically a contaminated steam release. By including that text here hopefully the issues at the plant can be identified by reliable sources and qualified sources. Ukraine has none.

The original text given making me aware of the files are from twitter- @VexhilvyStrimer after November 28^th.

Zaporozhye Leaked Accident Conversation-

The following conversation during the Zaporozhye incident are between Tyshenko (General Director of Nuclear Power Plant) and Torbayevsky ( Head of Emergency Readiness).

November 28^th

Tyshenko 8:12 PM- Vasili what the hell is going on over there?

8:24- Tyshenko- Why aren't you answering?

8:58- Torbayevsky- Vacheslav Alexaivich, forgive me I didn't answer. We have an emergency. The Third Unit shut down. I am already there. Ignatchencho is with me. Krasnogorov is coming.

Tyshenko- Fuck! Why the hell didn't you tell me immediately? Do you understand the danger this will mean for us? We will be thrown in prison, you as well. Leaving now, will be there in ½ hour.

Torbayevsky- Need to contact Chech specialists from Skoda. Its their equipment.

November 29^th

Tyshenko and Krasnogorov convo- Krasnogorov is head engineer at plant ZGD (Zaporozhye)

20:34 Tyshenko- Fiador, how are things?

Krasnagorov- Things Vacheslav Alexaivich are not good. The casket on the upper unit is not able to take the pressure. Seems we screwed around with this improper material long enough.

Tyshenko- Don't whine. You need to understand that no one asked me about any of it.

Krasnagorov- Even back then I was saying that this is not going to end well. We needed to do testing first. Its not just the caskets that are the problem. Its with the fuel as well.

Tyshenko- I said don't whine! The orders the ministry gave me I am doing. They warmed their hands on it already( they made their money) and let this fuck them now(let them deal with the fallout).

Krasnagorov- Understood.

December 2^nd

7:48 Tyshenko and Stefansky (Assistant Plant manager)

Stefansky- Vacheslav Alexaivich as soon as you left, journalists flooded us. They are hanging out at the security checkpoint. What do I say to them?

Tyshenko 8:01 am- Listen, I fucking barely stand on my feet(tired). You yourself can't come up with something? Say that it is an electrical short circuit or some other shit like that, but about the reactor not a word! Blab- I will turn you inside out(skin you)! Thats it, out, I'm getting a few hours sleep and will be back.

December 2^nd

8:53 Tyshenko and Torbayevsky

Torbayevsky- Vacheslav Alexaivich- We have a leak.

Tyshenko- Fuck! Where are you?

Torbayevsky- I'm at the station with the personnel, trying to fix it, but its a dead number (no use).

9:31 am Tyshenko- Ok, I called to the top. We need to be quiet now or we'll go to Donbass as volunteers; Do You understand?

Torbayevsky- Understood.

12:17 Tyshenko- Vasili, I was called to Kiev immediately. Figure this out without me.

Torbayevsky- What do we do with personnel? We need to evacuate people, radiation is off the charts! And locals need to be warned. We already started dumping into the water supply from the cooling system. Very soon we will have a second Chernobyl.

Tyshenko- Don't start panic! We were told to be quiet. We'll be quiet!

Torbayevsky- Vacheslav Alexaivich! Do you understand we can no longer keep silent? This is a catastrophe! Here in a 100 kilometer radius, nothing will be left alive! Fucking sky is already glowing! (inside joke about radiation)

Tyshenko- Listen! I am flying to Kiev. Wait for a call. For now don't answer any questions and don't talk to anyone.

END