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Unit 4 Fuel Loaded In Cask At Fukushima Daiichi
TEPCO has released photos of the first fuel successfully removed from the fuel racks at unit 4. NHK reports the removal of some of the unused fuel from the pool to the transfer cask. TEPCO estimates it may take a week to load the first cask of 22 fuel assemblies before they can remove it from the pool. From TEPCO’s press … Read entire article »
Unit 4 Fuel Assemblies To Be Removed 3pm JST Today
French journalist Joel Legendre is reporting that TEPCO will begin removing the first fuel assemblies from the spent fuel pool of unit 4 at 3pm JST today. He spoke to TEPCO on the phone and confirmed that the work will indeed commence today and that more information should be available in the afternoon JST. At the time of posting it … Read entire article »
Fukushima operators begin risky nuclear fuel rod removal
In a highly risky undertaking Fukushima plant operators have finally begun removing over 1,500 nuclear fuel rods from one of the four reactors at its damaged nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan on Monday.
The operation is expected to take at least a year hailed as a key first step toward a full cleanup of the plant.
Unit 4 of the Fukushima Daiichi plant was offline at the time of the 2011 catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, which is why, unlike the other three, its core didn't go into meltdown.
Hydrogen explosions blew the roof off the building and severely damaged the structure, however. Keeping so many fuel rods in a storage pool in the building poses a serious safety risk, experts say.
With the help of robots and cranes, the workers will attempt to cautiously transfer 1,331 spent fuel rods and 202 new ones from the damaged reactor pool to a more reliable storage facility. If these rods break or overheat, radioactive gases could be released into the atmosphere, however, prompting a self-sustained nuclear chain reaction.
According to the operators of the plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), all necessary measures have been taken to contain the threat stemming from the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
Unit 4 of the Fukushima Daiichi plant was offline at the time of the 2011 catastrophic earthquake and tsunami, which is why, unlike the other three, its core didn't go into meltdown.
Hydrogen explosions blew the roof off the building and severely damaged the structure, however. Keeping so many fuel rods in a storage pool in the building poses a serious safety risk, experts say.
With the help of robots and cranes, the workers will attempt to cautiously transfer 1,331 spent fuel rods and 202 new ones from the damaged reactor pool to a more reliable storage facility. If these rods break or overheat, radioactive gases could be released into the atmosphere, however, prompting a self-sustained nuclear chain reaction.
According to the operators of the plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), all necessary measures have been taken to contain the threat stemming from the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
While the full decommissioning of the plant is expected to take decades, the company said it plans to remove 22 rods over the course of two days. A giant crane equipped with a remote- controlled pincer will be lowered into the pool and hook onto the rods, placing them inside a 91-ton cask which will be loaded on to a trailer and taken to a new storage pool.
Earlier this week it was reported that three of the spent fuel assemblies that will be pulled from the nuclear plant on Monday were in fact damaged before the 2011 earthquake hit the facility. TEPCO said the damaged assemblies - 4.5 meter high racks with 50 to 70 rods of highly irradiated used fuel - wouldn’t be lifted from the plant’s Reactor No. 4, Reuters reported.
In an 11-page information sheet released in August, TEPCO informed that one of the assemblies was actually damaged back in 1982, when it was bent out of shape during a transfer.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority has assigned an inspector to keep an eye on the dangerous operation, as well as video monitoring of the removal site.
Meanwhile, targets for reducing radiation levels and eradicating nuclear fallout in the areas still haven't been met, with the radius of evacuation after the Fukushima nuclear meltdown larger than the area of Hong Kong. Some areas will remain contaminated for years to come, experts say. Part of the cleanup plan is to decontaminate the surrounding towns and villages and follow new guidelines by the International Center for Radiological Protection.
Earlier this week it was reported that three of the spent fuel assemblies that will be pulled from the nuclear plant on Monday were in fact damaged before the 2011 earthquake hit the facility. TEPCO said the damaged assemblies - 4.5 meter high racks with 50 to 70 rods of highly irradiated used fuel - wouldn’t be lifted from the plant’s Reactor No. 4, Reuters reported.
In an 11-page information sheet released in August, TEPCO informed that one of the assemblies was actually damaged back in 1982, when it was bent out of shape during a transfer.
Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority has assigned an inspector to keep an eye on the dangerous operation, as well as video monitoring of the removal site.
Meanwhile, targets for reducing radiation levels and eradicating nuclear fallout in the areas still haven't been met, with the radius of evacuation after the Fukushima nuclear meltdown larger than the area of Hong Kong. Some areas will remain contaminated for years to come, experts say. Part of the cleanup plan is to decontaminate the surrounding towns and villages and follow new guidelines by the International Center for Radiological Protection.
Major setbacks have stalled TEPCO's handling of the crisis amid widespread criticism. The utility was scheduled to begin the clean-up operation earlier this month which had to be put off after the Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization pressed for further safety checks.
A recent special investigation by Reuters has revealed the distressing conditions of working at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant, which are aggravated by very low pay and questionable attitudes to workers’ rights by sub-contractors involved in the numerous projects.
TEPCO is in the process of decommissioning the entire six-reactor Fukushima Daiichi plant after three reactors suffered core meltdowns in March 2011. Moving the fuel assemblies in Reactor No. 4 remains the top priority, as their height above ground appears to be highly vulnerable to another earthquake.
A recent special investigation by Reuters has revealed the distressing conditions of working at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant, which are aggravated by very low pay and questionable attitudes to workers’ rights by sub-contractors involved in the numerous projects.
TEPCO is in the process of decommissioning the entire six-reactor Fukushima Daiichi plant after three reactors suffered core meltdowns in March 2011. Moving the fuel assemblies in Reactor No. 4 remains the top priority, as their height above ground appears to be highly vulnerable to another earthquake.
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Tepco transferred 22 new fuel assemblies to on-premises transportation container
Posted by Mochizuki on November 19th, 2013 · 2 Comments
Note : If you are from the international mass media, Don’t read this site before taking a contact with me.
Tepco started fuel removal of reactor4 pool on 11/18/2013.
According to Tepco, they finished transferring 22 new fuel assemblies (unirradiated) to on-premises transportation container by 11/19/2013.
They will start decontamination of the container and transfer to the common usage pool from tomorrow, but they don’t announce the time schedule “for the protection of nuclear material” supposedly.
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