According to this newly released story from Japan Today, a decision has been reached to remove the fuel rods from badly damaged Fukushima reactor #4 by as early as November 8th. TEPCO informs us that they probably will not tell the world the exact date ahead of time for 'security reasons'. Experts are deeply concerned that any wrong step in the removal of the fuel rods could lead to an unprecedented and devastating chain reaction as shared in the newly released video below.
One slip-up in the latest step to decommission Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant could trigger a "monumental" chain reaction, experts warn.
Japanese regulators on Wednesday formally approved the removal of fuel rods from an uncontained cooling pool at a damaged reactor building considered the highest risk at a crippled nuclear plant.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said at its weekly meeting that the proposal by the plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co, is appropriate and that the removal can start in November as planned, following an on-site inspection by regulators. Japanese public broadcaster NHK said the removal would start as early as Nov 8, but TEPCO said it may not announce the date in advance, citing security reasons.
“It’s a totally different operation than removing normal fuel rods from a spent fuel pool,” Tanaka said at a regular news conference. “They need to be handled extremely carefully and closely monitored. You should never rush or force them out, or they may break.”
He said it would be a disaster if fuel rods are pulled forcibly and are damaged or break open when dropped from the pool, located about 30 meters above ground, releasing highly radioactive material. “I’m much more worried about this than contaminated water,” Tanaka said.
Read more about Fukushima: Monumental Chain Reaction Feared As Removal Of Fuel Rods Approved For November
No comments:
Post a Comment