Japan Earthquake Shuts Down Cooling System in Spent Fuel Pool at Fukushima


As “clean” as nuclear power might be when compared to the use of fossil fuels like coal, there remain a couple big problems.  One involves the storage of the spent fuel rods which will remain highly radioactive for perhaps 10,000 years, and must be kept cool.

The other problem is that if there is an accident at a nuclear plant, the results can be disastrous, as radiation is spread for miles creating zones where people will not be able to live and work for hundreds of years.  At least not safely.

Japan sits right along the “ring-of-fire” which is that area around the Pacific Ocean that is especially active from a seismological standpoint.  In other words, it is earthquake prone.  Earthquakes and nuclear power plants are an awful combination as the world saw in 2011 when an earthquake generated a tsunami that wrecked the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Now another earthquake has hit nearby, and damage has already been reported.

The cooling system of the third reactor at the Fukushima nuclear power plant has stopped circulating water following a powerful 7.3 offshore earthquake. TEPCO said it managed to restart the system some 90 minutes after the failure.

According to the Nuclear Regulatory Agency the cooling system servicing the Unit 3 spent fuel pool is not able to circulate water to cool the nuclear fuel because of a broken pump.

tsunami_fukushima

At such a pace, the cooling system failure posed no “immediate danger,” although the agency admitted “gradual” rise in temperatures.

Failure to keep the spent fuel rods cool will cause catastrophic results.  Like spreading deadly radiation into the atmosphere, perhaps to a city like Tokyo.  Keep in mind that these spent fuel rods can remain dangerous for 10,000 years.  Not the sort of thing to take lightly.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) told national broadcaster NHK that the cooling system in the Reactor 3 spent fuel pool stopped working. Japan’s national nuclear agency has confirmed that the temperature rise in the pool is “gradual.” The exact cause of the cooling system stoppage is currently unknown. However, the system might have been “shaken” during the earthquake, according to nuclear agency officials, as reported by NHK. No cooling water leaks or any other “abnormalities” have been reported.

tsunami_fukushima_2

TEPCO has had a bit of a “creditably deficit” since the original disaster in 2011.  Note the use of words like “have been reported” in reference to leaks.  No assurance that radioactive isotopes are not leaking out, just that leaks have not been “reported.”  Sounds like they just don’t know.

Fukushima will remain a drain on TEPCO and a danger to Japan long after we’re all gone.  Let’s just hope it’s a danger than can be contained.

Source:  RT



Share

6 Comments

Leave a Reply

Pin It on Pinterest