Fukushima nuclear plant hit by " sudden blackout " Systems out of power include : Reactor coolant systems for spent fuel pools 1 , 3 and 4 ; Coolant system for the common spent fuel pool ; Kurion cesium absorption system ! Tepco has four days to restore power - at this point , before safety limits for temperatures get hit ! Right now Tepco admits it doesn't know how to get system back online - Tepco says it might might take several days ? ?

Funny how these things seem to happen - just as the crisis in Cyprus is ramping up.......

Wednesday update..... competing theories for what caused the latest power outage - my money is on Tepco incompetence....

http://enenews.com/yomiuri-seawater-and-sand-caused-fukushima-blackout-crucial-power-device-left-on-back-of-vehicle-exposed-to-the-elements-photo

Title: TEPCO yet to learn from nuclear disaster / Problematic ‘makeshift’ power panel was exposed to elements, in use since initial crisis response
Source: Yomiuri Shimbun
Author: Koichi Yasuda and Takashi Ito
Date: Mar. 21, 2013

Monday’s power outage at Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant highlighted the utility’s management defects at the crippled facility [...]

TEPCO officials inspected the temporary power distribution panels [...]

Source: Tepco

[The] power panel in question [...] was exposed to the weather while left on the back of the vehicle.

[...] Prof. Masanori Aritomi of Tokyo Institute of Technology said, “Due to the recent strong wind, seawater and sand from the nearby beach might have been blown into the power panel.”

“Salt in the sand and seawater could have caused the power panel to short out,” the reactor engineering expert added. [...]

TEPCO was in fact aware of the vulnerability of the temporary power panel that had been exposed to the elements. [...]

Full report here

Tepco’s Response? “This is the first time that operation of the cooling system was halted for such a long time at several core facilities all together. If you say we were complacent about making our decision and dealing with the situation, I can’t deny that.”

http://enenews.com/rat-like-animal-blamed-for-fukushima-blackout

Kyodo News: The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant said Wednesday it suspects a rat-like animal of causing a short circuit in a switchboard that may have led to the power outage at the plant, disabling cooling systems for spent fuel pools earlier this week. Tokyo Electric Power Co. said it found burn marks on a makeshift power switchboard on Wednesday and a dead animal nearby. The utility suspects excess current caused by an unknown reason led to the blackout.

AP: Masayuki Ono, spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power Co., the utility that runs the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant, says a 15-centimeter (6-inch) rat was found dead Wednesday near a switchboard. He says the rat may be linked to the power failure, but that more investigation is needed to be sure.

WSJ: The prospect that a small animal could trigger the blackout underscores the facility’s vulnerability, two years after a massive earthquake and tsunami knocked out power to the reactors, triggering a nuclear disaster.

See also: Fukushima Worker: Rats now being found in many places around plant -- Concern about biting cables, tripping electrical systems, spreading high level contamination

http://enenews.com/crucial-cooling-systems-restored-tepco-official-dont-believe-fukushima-disaster-control-nytimes-impossible-independently-assess-conditions-plant

AP: Cooling systems were restored for four fuel storage pools at Japan’s tsunami-damaged nuclear plant, more than a day after a power outage halted the supply of fresh cooling water and raised concerns about the safety of the facility, which still relies on makeshift equipment. [...] “We don’t believe the Fukushima disaster is under control,” said Yuko Endo, chief of nearby Kawauchi village, part of which remains restricted because of radiation contamination, keeping hundreds of residents away from their homes. Officials are struggling to make the area livable again, but people cannot return home unless they feel confident about the plant’s stability, he said.

NYTimes: Crucial Cooling Systems Restored at Fukushima Plant, Company Says [...] The latest problem raised new fears about the continuing vulnerability of the plant, which suffered a triple meltdown two years ago and still relies on makeshift equipment. [...] The latest troubles also underscore the continuing worries about the safety of the plant [...] In particular, experts have warned that the makeshift cooling systems could be knocked out by another large earthquake. [...] With the company as the only source of information, it was impossible to independently assess the conditions at the plant, which sits in a contaminated zone that is closed to the public.

Late Monday / Early Tuesday updates.....

MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013

#Fukushima I Nuke Plant: Power Back On, Cooling of Reactor 1 SFP Resumed

(UPDATE-2) Common Spent Fuel Pool cooling is scheduled to resume at 8AM on March 20.

=================================

(UPDATE) Jiji Tsushin reports that TEPCO hopes to resume cooling of the SFPs of Reactor 3 and Reactor 4 at about 8PM (Japan Time). (It's about 3:45PM in Japan now.)

=================================

Information from NHK Kabun (Science and Literature) tweet, about 20 minutes ago:

１９日午後２時２０分頃、福島第一原発の電源復旧。１号機燃料プールの冷却再開

At about 2:20PM on March 19, power was back on at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant. Cooling of Reactor 1 Spent Fuel Pool resumed.

No information about other Spent Fuel Pools or other facilities. No details as to what caused the power failure to begin with.

and.....

http://enenews.com/nhk-temperatures-rising-in-fukushima-fuel-pools-now-20-hours-without-power-tepco-placing-highest-priority-on-unit-4-officials-says-no-immediate-danger

Update via EXSKF, 2:36a ET: Cooling of Reactor 1 SFP Resumed

Associated Press, 2:29a ET: Four fuel storage pools at Japan’s tsunami-damaged nuclear plant have been without fresh cooling water for nearly 20 hours [...] TEPCO workers were scrambling to find the cause and repair the problems. [...] TEPCO, which has repeatedly faced cover-up scandals, was already slammed by local media Tuesday for waiting hours to disclose the blackout. [TEPCO spokesman Masayuki Ono] acknowledged the plant was vulnerable. “Fukushima Dai-ichi still runs on makeshift equipment, and we are trying to switch to something more permanent and dependable, which is more desirable,” he said. “Considering the equipment situation, we may be pushing a little too hard.” [...]

Kyodo News, 12:42a ET: Fukushima nuclear plant’s fuel pool cooling system still suspended [...] TEPCO spokesman Masayuki Ono said it is placing the “highest priority” on restoring the cooling system of the spent fuel pool located atop the No. 4 reactor building, as the number of fuel assemblies stored in the tank is larger than the heavily damaged Nos. 1, 2 and 3 units.

NHK, 12:06a ET: Crews trying to clean up the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are scrambling at this hour to fix a new problem. The system used to cool spent fuel malfunctioned. Workers say a power blackout caused the failure.

JIJI PRESS: 9 Facilities, including Cooling Systems, Hit by Fukushima N-Plant Power Loss

AP: The command centre at the plant suffered a brief power outage before 7pm [6am ET] on Monday. Electricity was quickly restored to the command centre but not to equipment pumping water into the fuel pools.

AP: The spent-fuel pool for reactor 4, which contains spent and new fuel rods, had risen to 30.5 degrees as of 10 a.m. Tuesday from 25 degrees before the power outage. A common pool storing spent fuel for all reactors was at 28.6 degrees, while the reactor 1 pool was at 17.1 degrees and reactor 3 was at 15.9 degrees.

AFP: TEPCO said [...] while engineers did not yet know the cause, there was no immediate danger at the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant.

The Japan Times: Takashi Haga, a 49-year-old office worker in the city, appeared surprised by the latest incident. “It revived the memory of the nuclear accident two years ago,” Haga said. “I thought it was under control.”

and.....





http://fukushima-diary.com/2013/03/analysis-the-sudden-blackout-revealed-the-weakness-of-fukushima-plant-reactor4-has-4-days-to-go/

[Analysis] The sudden blackout revealed the weakness of Fukushima plant, “Reactor4 has 4 days to go”

Posted by Mochizuki on March 18th, 2013 · No Comments

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In the evening of 3/18/2013, Fukushima plant had the power blackout and the coolant system of reactor1, 3 and 4 lost power.

(cf, [Breaking] Power blackout in Fukushima plant, coolant system of the pools in reactor 1,3,4 lost power [URL 1])
Here I would like to explain what the problem is and what was newly revealed.

What exactly happened ?

At 18:57, the plant lost power. Even the seismic isolation building, where is the managing office of the entire plant lost power temporarily. The reason of the blackout is not identified yet.
Tepco is receives the power from Tohoku-epco, but they can’t send it to the spent fuel pools.

■ Systems out of power

Kurion -a cesium absorption system
Coolant system of the spent fuel pool in reactor1, 3, 4
Coolant system of the common spent fuel pool

■ Systems not out of power

Reactor coolant system for reactor1, 2 and 3
Monitoring posts
Gas monitoring systems for reactor1, 2 and 3
Coolant system of the spent fuel pool in reactor2

(Source)

At 5AM in JST, the power is not back on yet.

What is the concern ?

“According to Tepco”, the water temperature of the pool of reactor4 was 25℃ at 16:00 of 3/18/2013. It increases at 0.1 ~ 0.3 ℃/h, so it takes 4 days to reach 65℃, which is the safety regulation.
However, the common pool also lost the power, where has 6377 fuel assemblies. From the research of Fukushima Diary, the temperature increases the second fastest to follow reactor4. [URL 2]
Tepco didn’t announce how long it takes to reach the safety regulation.

The spent fuel pools of reactor3 and 4 are still outside of the building. Japanese meteorological agency is giving the warnings of storm to Fukushima.

The revealed weakness / lies

     1. There is still no back-up power for the spent fuel pools

Tepco stated they reinforced the spent fuel pool of reactor4. Even if another earthquake of the same scale of 311 hit the plant, it can last and they prepare multiple powers to maintain the coolant system.
However, as always, it turned out to be a lie. They didn’t even need an earthquake to cause a power blackout for reactor4. The power went down for nothing and the reason is not even identified yet.
Fukushima worker Happy11311 warns if reactor4 has a fire, it would also cause explosion from reactor1 and 3 at least. If Tsunami hits again, it would chop off all the power lines etc..

(cf, Fukushima worker “Most of the workers know it takes over 40 years to decommission Fukushima plant” [URL 3])
Additionally, the Tsunami embankment is still in the temporary state in Fukushima plant. [URL 4]

     2. Tepco took 3 hours to announce they had power blackout

Fukushima plant had a power blackout at around 19:00, but they reported it at 22:11.
They state they took time to confirm the situation.
Whether it was on purpose or not, they never update on time. If reactor4 has an emergency, they would take even longer “to confirm the situation”.
Probably we shall not trust them and collect information spontaneously.

The radioactive density of SFP of reactor 1 is 24 billion Bq/m3, 5266 times much as reactor4

Posted by Mochizuki on March 18th, 2013 · No Comments

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From the power blackout since 18:57 of 3/18/2013, the coolant system of the spent fuel pool of reactor1, 3 and 4 have been stopped.

(cf, [Breaking] Power blackout in Fukushima plant, coolant system of the pools in reactor 1,3,4 lost power [URL])

According to Tepco, the pool water of reactor1 is extremely contaminated compared to other 3 spent fuel pools, which is 5266 times worse than the spent fuel pool of reactor4.

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/handouts/2013/images/handouts_130318_01-e.pdf

[Alert] All power’s been down in Fukushima plant for over 3 hours, Tepco investigating the reason

Posted by Mochizuki on March 18th, 2013 · 1 Comment

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Over 3 hours before this post, Fukushima plant lost power.  (19:00 of 3/18/2013)

The coolant system of the spent fuel pools of reactor1, 3 and 4 has been out of operation for over 3 hours already.

Seismic isolation building has lost power too. Tepco is still investigating the reason.

https://m.facebook.com/mako.oshidori/posts/452025851543657?mds=%2Fsharer-dialog.php%3Fsid%3D452025851543657&mdf=1&__user=728152740

03:59 PM EST on March 18th, 2013 | 29 comments

Kyodo at 2:29p ET: “Tepco hasn’t been able to work out steps to ensure bringing system back online” at Fukushima Daiichi — No ‘major’ changes in radioactivity levels

01:36 PM EST on March 18th, 2013 | 45 comments

NHK: Another fuel pool loses cooling system at Fukushima Daiichi — CBC: May take days to repair

12:13 PM EST on March 18th, 2013 | 18 comments

AP: Fukushima Daiichi blackout has continued for hours — 3 fuel pools without fresh cooling water

11:23 AM EST on March 18th, 2013 | 10 comments

Kyodo English: ‘Problem with electric power’ at Fukushima Daiichi — Cooling systems suspended at 3 fuel pools

10:43 AM EST on March 18th, 2013 | 5 comments

Fukushima Daiichi power blackout is top story on Japan news sites (VIDEO)

09:36 AM EST on March 18th, 2013 | 24 comments

Blackout at Fukushima Daiichi — Cooling at fuel pools stopped

http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2013/03/ex-representative-kawauchi-went-inside.html

SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2013

Ex-Representative Kawauchi Went Inside #Fukushima Reactor 1 Bldg, Says Hydrogen Explosion May Have Happened on 4th Floor, Not 5th (Top Floor)

So that was the occasion for the "blank" videos that TEPCO uploaded two days ago. I didn't pay much attention until I saw the tweets today by Mr. Hiroshi Kawauchi, former DPJ member of the Japanese Diet Lower House from Kagoshima Prefecture who lost in the December 2012 election along with many of his party.

As per previous offer and agreement from TEPCO while he was still a member of the Diet, Mr. Kawauchi went inside the Reactor 1 building at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant on March 13, 2013, accompanied by TEPCO (or affiliate company) workers. They had a video camera, which was to record whatever Mr. Kawauchi wanted, as he directed. The problem was that the tape that was used to protect the camera got partially detached, and stuck on the camera lens. So the lens cover closed, leaving only a small hole in the center. (For TEPCO's report (in Japanese only) on the incident, see here.)

Mr. Kawauchi is not too happy, and says another trip will be arranged with TEPCO.

In the meantime, he has tweeted what he found on his March 13, 2013 visit to the Reactor 1 building. He now thinks it was on the 4th floor of the building that a hydrogen explosion took place, not the top 5th floor as has always been assumed. The 4th floor is where the Isolation Condenser (IC) is located.

福島第一原発1号原子炉建屋視察報告。今回の視察で分かったことは、1号の水素爆発は最上階の５階ではなく、ひとつ下、非常用復水器のある４階で起こったのではないか、ということ。そう考える根拠を２つあげたい。４階と５階の間、即ち４階の天井５階の床には、大きな機材搬入の為の穴がある。(tweet link)

Report on my visit to Fukushima I Nuke Plant Reactor 1 building. What's been revealed [to me] in this visit is that the hydrogen explosion of Reactor 1 may have happened not on the top 5th floor but on the one below, on the 4th floor where the Isolation Condenser is located. I'd like to submit two reasons why I think that way. Between the 4th and 5th floor - in other words the ceiling of the 4th floor which is the floor of the 5th floor, there is a huge hole to bring large equipment through.

この大物搬入口は、5メートル四方。作業時には、労働安全衛生法上の義務として、転落防止の為の手摺が設置される。作業時以外は、重さ1.5トンの鉄板で塞がれている。即ち、手摺があるかないかが、搬入口が閉じていたか、開いていたかの判断の分かれ目になる。では、実際にはどうだったのか？(tweet link)

This opening is 5 meters square (5 x 5). When it is in use, handrails are installed to prevent falls, as required by the Industrial Safety and Health Law. When not in use, the opening is covered with the steel plate weighing 1.5 tonnes. In other words, presence or absence of the handrails would indicate whether the opening was open or closed [when the explosion took place]. So, which was it?

原子炉建屋４階から天井を見上げると、五メートル四方の搬入口が、パックリと空いていた。肝腎の手摺はどうか？手摺は、無かった。手摺が無いということは、鉄板が閉まっていた筈。同行した東電社員も確認した。では、なぜ鉄板が無いのか？即ち、４階の水素爆発で吹き飛ばされたのではないか？(tweet link)

On the 4th floor and looking up at the ceiling, I saw the 5x5 opening open. How about the handrails? There were no handrails. No handrails means the opening was closed with the steel plate. Why wasn't the steel plate there? Is it because it was blown off by the hydrogen explosion on the 4th floor?

４階天井、５階床の大物搬入口。４階での水素爆発で下から上へ吹き上げられた、だから現在は、パックリ口を空けているのではないか、と考えるのが自然。実際、国会事故調のヒヤリングでも当時、現場の作業責任者が、大物搬入口の蓋を閉めた、と証言している。今回の視察で、その証言が裏付けられた。(tweet link)

It is natural to think this [steel plate covering the] opening on the 4th floor ceiling which is the 5th floor floor to carry large equipment through was blown upward by the hydrogen explosion on the 4th floor, therefore it is open now. In fact, in a testimony in the National Diet accident investigation commission, the person in charge of the work testified that they had closed the opening with the steel plate. In my visit, this testimony was confirmed.

もうひとつ、４階で水素爆発が起きてたのではないか、という根拠を示す。４階非常用復水器のすぐ横を、主蒸気管が垂直に通っている。この主蒸気管の、物凄く分厚い被覆材が凄まじい勢いでめくり上がっているのだ。非常用復水器の蒸気ラインの被覆材も同様だ。４階の凄まじい損壊の状況も合わせ考えると(tweet link)

Another reason why I think the hydrogen explosion took place on the 4th floor. The main steam pipe runs vertically right next to the Isolation Condenser on the 4th floor. Extremely thick covering material around the main steam pipe is severely turned up. Same thing with the covering material around the steam line of the Isolation Condenser. Taking together the severe destruction of the 4th floor...

この被覆材の捲れは、爆発の影響以外の何者でもない。1号原子炉建屋は、最上階の５階ではなく、ひとつ下の非常用復水器が設置されている４階で水素爆発が起きたと考える方が、水平方向に爆発していた爆発映像も考えあわせると、自然である。同行した東電社員も、否定できない、と認めていた。(tweet link)

... I believe this turning up of the covering material is definitely from the explosion. It makes more sense to think the hydrogen explosion of the Reactor 1 building happened not on the top 5th floor but on the 4th floor where the Isolation Condenser is located. Recall the video of the explosion, which spread in horizontal direction. TEPCO workers who accompanied me admitted that the possibility couldn't be denied.

現場を実際に、自分で確認し、私が知り得たことで、皆に報告をしなければならないことが、まだ他にもあるが、次回に回す。しかし、水素爆発が５階でなく、４階で起きていたとすれば、何故水素が４階に溜まったのかを解明しなければならない。これまでの、政府や東電の説明では説明できないからだ。(tweet link)

There are other things I saw and confirmed in person that I need to report to you, but that has to wait until next time. However, if the hydrogen explosion did take place not on the 5th floor but on the 4th floor, we have to figure out why hydrogen had accumulated on the 4th floor. That cannot be explained by the explanations so far by the government or TEPCO.

What difference does it make at this point, you may ask? That is indeed the rhetorical question some of the tweets to him ask.

After more than two years since Reactor 1 blew up, we still don't know how that happened. Many details of the accident are still not clear (and not many are interested in knowing), and many influential experts, journalists, bloggers base their pronouncements on the accident or the radiation contamination on assumptions and hearsay.

Without knowing and understanding exactly what happened and how, I don't believe there can be a "recovery". People in Japan will simply repeat a one-issue mantra of "beyond nuclear", without knowing and understanding exactly what has happened to them and their land because of that "nuclear".

The video of Reactor 1 explosion on March 12, 2011 does show, after the initial puff upwards, lateral spread of smoke and/or steam (as Professor Takashi Tsuruda of Akita Prefectural University (his specialty is combustion) thinks there was an explosion in the Suppression Chamber of Reactor 1):

It was good that Mr. Kawauchi was able to go inside the reactor building. It would be even better if he could bring along an explosion expert like Professor Tsuruda.

According to my own post on that day; 

• At 3PM 3/12/11, about 30 minutes before the explosion took place, TEPCO (the power company) announced that it was successful in relieving the pressure in the fuel core container.
• The fuel rods are half-exposed, due to lower water level.
• Cesium and Iodine have been detected in the atmosphere near the plant. [Both are products of nuclear fission.]
• 4 people were injured.

As to the destruction of the 4th floor of Reactor 1 near the Isolation Condenser, see this video (if you haven't seen it yet) from October 2011: