RALEIGH, N.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the U.S. sailors who were exposed to dangerous levels of radiation assisting in humanitarian relief efforts to Japan following an earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Based on the ruling, the sailors are able to continue their suit against Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc. (TEPCO) allowing the sailors to pursue their case in the District Court in San Diego. It is possible that the nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima plant affected up to 75,000 U.S. citizens, even after TEPCO deemed the conditions safe.

After meeting with attorneys from both sides last December, the United States Government submitted an amicus curiae brief expressing its belief that nothing should prevent the sailors from litigating their case here in America. Today’s Court of Appeals ruling reinforces the government’s desire that the sailors’ fight for justice will take place…

Tepco announces that it has received the 65th financial installment from the government support structure, which is advancing money for compensation: 164.8 billion yen (1,46 billion dollars).

This is a much higher amount than the last time and this money is loaned without interest.
Tepco has already received a total of 7,358.5 billion yen (67,16 billion dollars at current prices) and this will not be enough.

http://fukushima.eu.org/65ieme-versement-financier-pour-tepco/

Masami Yoshizawa hauled his radiated cows down to Tokyo, demanding that his animals be studied.

Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, March 11, 2011

Masami Yoshizawa, who’d driven half an hour up the coast from his ranch in Namie to pick up a few cans of spray paint, climbed out of his truck and headed for the home improvement center’s entrance with a jerky stride that belied his sleepy expression. Eyes half-closed, he seemed to look without seeing. He’d worked with livestock for years—nudging heifers into pens and shoving curious calves away from tractor wheels—and he’d taken on an oblivious, almost animal way of moving. In the Cainz Home store, he took a plastic basket from a stack next to the automatic doors and was wandering an aisle between two tall shelves, a couple cans of spray paint clinking in his carrier, when the quake struck.

The first vibration might’ve been a shiver…

World:

¶ DONG Energy is making progress with offshore construction work for the world’s biggest offshore wind farm. Both offshore substations and 40% of the turbine foundations are in place. The 659-MW Walney Extension offshore wind farm, off the coast of Cumbria, is expected to meet the electricity needs of about half a million UK homes. [Your Renewable News]

Walney substation construction

¶ A recent report from the Northeast Group estimates that 67% of Western European countries will reach smart grid penetration by 2020, with 12 countries meeting the 80% European Union requirement in setting up residential smart grids over the next 3 years. It’s anticipated global smart grid markets will reach $120 billion by 2020. [CleanTechnica]

¶ Solar Energy Corporation of India has tendered a 750-MW of solar park in the Indian state of Rajasthan, at a low benchmark price of ₹3.93/kWh (6.1¢/kWh) compared to the previous…