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Removal of fuel in pool at Fukushima's melted No. 3 reactor begins

20 Comments
By Mari Yamaguchi

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The work is carried out remotely from a control room about 500 meters away because of still-high radiation levels inside the reactor building that houses the pool.

What about the truck driver?

3 ( +6 / -3 )

It's a long way to complete but it is still a good news. Be safe, everyone at the work!

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Experts say the melted fuel in the three reactors amounts to more than 800 tons.

Bloody nora, that's a lot of geigers.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Gogogo, my first thought as well!

Just a thought, who is paying for all this cleanup work? The company that has taken the profits all these years?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Just a thought, who is paying for all this cleanup work? 

We, the taxpayers of Japan! Our taxes were also increased to fund this, so there is plenty of room for people to skim off the top, the middle and every where else!

8 ( +8 / -0 )

And there are people who want to open up more reactors in Japan!!!!!

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Yes, no more nukes in dangerous Japan. Abe sorry, get real!

3 ( +6 / -3 )

o removing the units to safer ground is crucial to avoid disaster in case of another major quake.

No. The used and new fuel in the pool pose little if any risk in case of another major quake.

What about the truck driver?

What about him? The high radiation levels are in the building, not from the used fuel. Once in the casks, the fuel rods pose no significant radiation risk.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

I’m afraid this area of Japan will be uninhabited for another 20+ years. The atomic testing done by the UK & US In the Christmas Island chain has left that area uninhabitable for over 50 years and its still remains so with no determined date for future habitation. There remains so many questions concerning containment and the harnessing & safe use of Nuclear Energy !

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Let’s all hope and pray they have got their crap together and know what they are doing. One mishap could very easily cause a ‘China Syndrome’ scenario. Yeah, Chine Syndrome is science fiction, but one slip up removing these melted rods could very easily make it science fact. Normal removal and storage prosecutes do not apply to these rods due to their irregular shapes. They will have be stored in mobile cooking tanks until they reach their final resting place. By the way, has TEOCO and the J-Gov sorted out a permanent storage facility for these melted rods? That’s question is sarcasm because I know they haven’t. The world watches with baited breath.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

One mishap could very easily cause a ‘China Syndrome’ scenario. Yeah, Chine Syndrome is science fiction, but one slip up removing these melted rods could very easily make it science fact.

No, it couldn't. There was no science facts behind the 'China Syndrome' and the science facts behind nuclear criticality make it impossible for the melted rods to go critical. The only hazards are radiation (hence the remote operation and underwater) and contamination if a rod were drop (hence sealed building and underwater).

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

About 25% of the fuel rods in the pool are unused ones with some containing plutonium.

And all the used fuel rods contain plutonium. So what?

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

Massively risky. Any number of issues could add to the already numerous catastrophes that have happened and are continuing at Dai Ichi. Yet, the fuel can’t be left there. To all the incredible people in amongst it, risking everything, here’s to you being safe and well looked after. I still think of the Hyper Rescue crews who raced to the scene on March 18 from Tokyo, when they stopped some 10kms away, all got out of their emergency vehicles, had a meeting amongst the debris strewn across a tsunami devastated landscape, then all bowed, got in their vehicles and robe into hells gate to start pumping in water. Humbling. And its the same for those still there, working, unsung heroes. Thank you.

https://ideas.ted.com/lessons-in-courage-from-a-team-of-japanese-firefighters/

Use thorium, NOT uranium based nuclear power!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Humans will destroy this Wonderful Planet with their stupidity!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

englisc aspyrgendApr. 15  06:09 pm JST

Just a thought, who is paying for all this cleanup work? The company that has taken the profits all these years?

Taxpayers.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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