nuclear-news

Fukushima nuclear plant – cooling process now abandoned

Japan nuclear: Tepco halts Fukushima cooling plan, BBC New15 May 2011  Japanese engineers have abandoned their latest attempt to stabilise a stricken reactor at the Fukushima nuclear plant.The plant’s operator, Tepco, had intended to cool reactor 1 by filling the containment chamber with water.

But Tepco said melting fuel rods had created a hole in the chamber, allowing 3,000 tonnes of contaminated water to leak into the basement of the reactor building……The government and Tepco (Tokyo Electric Power Company) said it would take until next January to achieve a cold shut-down at the plant……Tepco says it will come up with a new plan to stabilise the reactor by Tuesday.Japanese broadcaster NHK said Tepco was now studying a plan to circulate water from the basement through a decontamination filter and back into the reactor.BBC News – Japan nuclear: Tepco halts Fukushima cooling plan

May 16, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | - Fukushima 2011