nuclear-news

Continued flooding will damage Fukushima reactors’ structures

NBC News: Fears that Fukushima plant could “break apart” during cleanup process http://enenews.com/nbc-news-fears-that-fukushima-plant-could-break-apart-during-cleanup-process

Title: ‘A very fragile situation’: Leaks from Japan’s wrecked nuke plant raise fears
Source: NBC News
Author: Arata Yamamoto and Ian Johnston
Date: May 1, 2013

Like the persistent tapping of a desperate SOS message, the updates keep coming. Day after day, the operators of the wrecked Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant have been detailing their struggles to contain leaks of radioactive water.

The leaks, power outages and other glitches have raised fears that the plant — devastated by a tsunami in March 2011 — could even start to break apart during a cleanup process expected to take years. […]

“Until you can stop that transfer, you will not contain the radioactivity. That will go on for years and years until they contain it,” [Independent nuclear expert John Large] said. “The structures of containment start breaking down. Engineered structures don’t last long when they are put in adverse conditions.” […]

See also: Fears have also emerged that the Dai-ichi plant could break apart during cleaning, NBC News reports –

NY Daily News

May 4, 2013 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Fukushima 2013