Tag Archives: Nuclear Power Plant

Risk Going Up?

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Again, the information regarding the Fukushima #1 power plant provided by TEPCO is below expectations in this type of situation. Also their history includes previous situation where they have hidden information. This makes it difficult not only for normal people to understand what is going on but also for external experts.

The latest development is that it is now feared that the spent fuel rods on top of Reactor #4 is fully exposed. Meaning the radiation levels there may be lethal and may prevent counter measures needed to keep Reactor #3 in a safe state. This has caused US government to recommend evacuation of US citizens within at least 80 km radius from Fukushima #1, or about 1/3 of the way between the power plan and Tokyo.

The strange thing is that this information is coming from CNN and not from Japanese government and TEPCO. It appears that US officials arrived today and they did not see what they expected in terms of the situation at Fukushima #1, which have lead to the evacuation recommendations etc.

While Chie and I are getting ready to go to the office we are also considering staying home. Reason? If the situation is as US government believes then the situation in the other reactors may deteriorate quickly since people cannot get close without risking death or at least severe health consequences.

The only positive news is that TEPCO think they have found a way to redirect electric power to the plant. This means that it may be possible to get the the cooling system running again, and pumps to pump water into the storage compartments of the spent fuel rods.

Fukushima #1 an Update

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There is now a fear that Fukushima Daiichi (#1) Reactor #3 has a damaged containment vessel. This may have been caused by whatever caused the smoke earlier today.

The information seems to change by the minute. For instance, new information say that radiation leakage topped 10 mSv per hour a short period of time this morning.

Some alarming but very uncertain news is that the 50 workers remaining at the Daiichi plant has been asked to withdraw to a safe area. If that is the case then there is no one left “taking care” about the plant.

Fukushima #1

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The latest news about the Fukushima #1 nuclear power plant is difficult to get hold of. Or should I say, it is difficult to get hold of reliable information.

What seems to have happened is that once again smoke is visible from Reactor #3 though the fire in Reactor #4 seems to have been put out. The high level of radiation leaking out during the night has gone down. Though the latest update now say that radiation leakage of up to 6 mSv per hour occurred during a limited time period today.

There are also some contradictory information regarding the personnel at the power plant. Have they been pulled out or not? It seems that most personnel has been pulled out earlier but there are still 50 that continue to work there.

Unfortunately, TEPCO, the company owning the Fukushima Daiichi (#1) and Daini (#2) Power Plants, have not been too forthcoming with information. They provide information about radiation leakage at their web site. However, I can only find information about the Daini (#2) power plant. This plant is not the one with the problems you can see on TV right now, which you can see from this English information at the TEPCO site. All Daini-reactors are in cold shutdown, which basically means that they are off and there is no risk of a meltdown etc.