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Disturbing Clues at Fukushima Nuclear Plant May Be an Omen for Another Disaster

880 tons of melted nuclear fuel remains inside the three failed reactors—that’s about 10 times the fuel removed during the Three Mile Island clean up after the 1979 meltdown

It’s been 12 years since the catastrophe at Fukushima Daiichi, and decommissioning the site continues to be a major headache. Popular Mechans BY DARREN ORF,  APR 10, 2023

• On March 11, 2011, Japan’s Fukushima prefecture experienced a devastating earthquake and tsunami, which killed upwards of 20,000 people.
• One of the lasting legacies of the earthquake is the extensive damage to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant that experienced meltdowns in three of its six nuclear reactors.
• Twelve years later, the clean up and decommission of the plant continues, and new evidence suggests that at least one reactor could be vulnerable to future earthquakes

…………………………………………………………………………………………….. Because of the immense radiation inside these reactors, engineers still don’t know the exact extent of the meltdowns. But for years, robotic rovers have investigated these highly irradiated zones to get a better understanding of each reactor’s status and—crucially—ability to withstand another earthquake.

Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that one of these robotic sojourns, conducted by an underwater remotely operated vehicle named ROV-A2, uncovered something troubling: exposed steel bars in the main support structure of Unit 1, along with missing pieces of its external concrete wall.

Located right under the nuclear core of Unit 1, this support structure wasn’t in jeopardy of failing on its own, but experts worried about its ability to withstand another earthquake if one were to strike. Because decommissioning and cleaning up Fukushima Daiichi will likely take decades to fully complete, the plant experiencing more earthquakes is likely. Just last year, the region was hit by another earthquake—thankfully the tremor was some 63 times less powerful than the devastating disaster in 2011.

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), which operates Fukushima Daiichi, says that it will analyze the video taken by the underwater drone, along with other data, in the coming months to figure out ways to improve the unit’s earthquake resistance. This a priority, as 880 tons of melted nuclear fuel remains inside the three failed reactors—that’s about 10 times the fuel removed during the Three Mile Island clean up after the 1979 meltdown, according to the Associated Press……………………

[this article then goes on to say how safe nuclear power now is! ]  https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a43525886/fukushima-nuclear-plant-images-raise-safety-concerns/

April 11, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety