Eleven years after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was ravaged by a meltdown following a massive earthquake and tsunami, most of the radioactive debris blasted by hydrogen explosions has been cleared and torn buildings fixed.
The Associated Press
Despite the progress, massive amounts of radioactive melted fuel remain inside of the reactors. There's worry about the fuel because so much about its condition is still unknown, even to officials in charge of the cleanup. On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake caused a tsunami 17 meters high that slammed into the coastal plant, destroying its power supply and cooling systems, causing reactors No. 1, 2 and 3 to melt and spewing massive amounts of radiation. Three other reactors were offline and survived, though a fourth building suffered hydrogen explosions.
In February, a remote-operated submersible robot entered the Unit 1 primary containment vessel, its first internal probe since a failed 2017 attempt. It captured limited images of what are believed to be mounds of melted fuel rising from the concrete floor. Ono said the Unit 2 melted fuel test removal will start from a granule or two, all of which will be sent for lab analysis, meaning a storage facility won't be necessary until larger amounts are hauled out. Even a tiny amount would provide valuable data for research and development of fuel and debris removal technology for all three reactors, he said.
The government has announced plans to release the water after treatment and dilution to well below the legally releasable levels through a planned undersea tunnel at a site about 1 kilometer offshore. The plan has faced fierce opposition from local residents, especially fishermen concerned about further damage to the area’s reputation.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
11 years later, fate of Fukushima reactor cleanup uncertainEleven years after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was ravaged by a meltdown following a massive earthquake and tsunami, most of the radioactive debris blasted by hydrogen explosions has been cleared and torn buildings fixed.
Read more »
11 Years After Fukushima, Campaigners Double Down on Push for 'Peaceful, Nuclear-Free World'\u0022The pain, struggles, and bravery of the people affected by the incident still continue,\u0022 said Greenpeace E.U. \u0022We should never forget them, nor allow another disaster like this to happen again.\u0022
Read more »
2 girls killed, woman injured during domestic disturbance in KilleenOne of the girls, an 11-year-old, was pronounced dead at the scene while the other, who was six, died later at the hospital.
Read more »
Surviving member of Heaven's Gate cult reflects on mass suicide 25 years ago: 'It meant everything'Rio DiAngelo says he still feels the presence of the cult's charismatic leader 25 years later.
Read more »
Surviving member of Heaven's Gate cult reflects on mass suicide 25 years ago: 'It meant everything'Rio DiAngelo says he still feels the presence of the cult's charismatic leader 25 years later.
Read more »
Amber Alert Issued for 11-Year-Old Girl Last Seen in FranklinAn Amber Alert has been issued for an 11-year-old girl who was last seen in in Franklin, Texas.
Read more »