- Foundation in Fukushima nuclear plant reactor likely badly damaged Archived Message
Posted by Gerard
on April 7, 2023, 11:25 am
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"TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The internal wall of a cylindrical foundation supporting the reactor pressure vessel of the No. 1 unit of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant may be badly damaged across its entire circumference, its operator said Tuesday. Some of the damage was revealed in videos taken during a survey of the No. 1 unit's containment vessel by operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc., which said it would further analyze the footage and assess the seismic resistance of the pedestal. The survey, conducted from March 28 through March 31 using an underwater robot, found the concrete wall missing in over half of the pedestal measuring 5 meters in internal diameter, leaving the reinforcing bar exposed. Limitations to the robot's cable length made it impossible to reach and take photographs of further parts of the foundation, but TEPCO said its entire circumference was highly likely to be damaged. It is not clear how far the damage, which was around 1 meter high, had penetrated in the approximately 1.2-meter thick wall. Footage taken by pointing the camera upward from within the pedestal showed control rods and other parts attached to the bottom of the pressure vessel deformed and covered with sediment. TEPCO is considering running additional surveys on areas that could not be photographed in the latest survey, which was conducted in preparation for the removal of radioactive fuel debris from the No. 1 reactor's containment vessel. After a massive earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi plant lost power and the ability to cool its reactors. The Nos. 1 to 3 reactors suffered core meltdowns, and the buildings of No. 1, 3 and 4 units were severely damaged by hydrogen explosions.": https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20230404/p2g/00m/0bu/040000c |
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