nuclear-news

Fukushima reactors molten fuel cores – where are they? Robots might find them

Robots To Investigate Fukushima N-reactors http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/wn/newsworld.php?id=1036936 TOKYO, May 9 (Bernama) — Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) plans to use robots for investigating the inside of reactor containment vessels at its stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

The investigation is expected to take place as early as in the fiscal second half that begins in October, sources were quoted as saying by Japan’s Jiji Press news agency.

Internal conditions of the containment vessels at the plant’s No. 1 to 3 reactors remain unknown.

If the robots — made by Hitachi Ltd. and others — are able to identify where melted nuclear fuel is located, this would lead to progress in work to decommission the plant damaged in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

But it is unclear how much information can be obtained by the robots due to high radiation levels and steams inside the vessels.

TEPCO said the investigation is aimed at assessing temperatures and radiation levels inside the vessels.

The government plans to start removing melted fuel in 2020.

May 10, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Fukushima 2014