- Reactor temperatures and pressures in the three Daiichi reactors of immediate concern continue to decrease. #1 feedwater nozzle reads 164 oC, and the bottom of the RPV reads 114 oC. The feedwater nozzle on Unit #2 reads 133 oC. Unit #3 nozzle reads 98 oC and the RPV bottom reads 109 oC. Pressures have not changes noticeably since Monday.
- The removal of waste waters in the vertical shaft (drainage tunnel access) of Unit #2 has finally begun. These waters are being pumped to storage tanks in the on-site waste treatment facility. It is estimated that there are 25,000 tons of water in the basement and tunnel of Unit #2. The pumping schedule is to move ~500 tons per day. Unit #2 is being drained first in order to keep further tunnel leakage from getting to the sea.
- The French nuclear company, Areva, has been contracted to build a water treatment facility at Fukushima Daiichi in order to decontaminate the waste waters. Their process reduces contamination levels by at least a factor of 100, and as much as a factor of 1000. On-site storage of the waters will continue until the new treatment facility is completed. The facility is designed to decontaminate 1200 tons of water each day.
- TEPCO today announced they have sampled the water in Unit #2 spent fuel pool (SPF) and found Iodine and Cesium concentrations higher than in #4 SPF. This is an indication of some fuel damage, but whether it is more or less than unit 4’s SPF cannot be determined.
- Residual waste waters in the basement of Unit #6 turbine room have been “transferred” into #6 condenser.
- The high voltage switchgear for units 1&2 and 3&4 (it seems they are paired) has been re-connected. What this will mean to the recovery of normal cooling systems remains to be seen.
- TEPCO has added six new seawater sampling points, two at 8 km. and four at 3 km. distances from the shoreline. All other 10 TEPCO and 10 MEXT sampling points will continue to be used, as well. Three of the new sites south of the power complex show Iodine-131 concentrations slightly above health standard, consistent with the original ten TEPCO locations measured April 17. Three of the new northern sites, as well as the two most northern of the ten original sampling locations, have Iodine-131 activity levels below health standards. All other TEPCO and MEXT locations have not noticeably changed in their concentrations of I-131 over the past 5 days. IAEA says the overall trend is for decreasing activity levels.
- As of April 18, 8 “containers” of rubble and debris had been collected and removed from the vicinity of Reactor Buildings 1–4. The containers are being stored elsewhere on the TEPCO property.
- TEPCO began spraying all rubble with a “polymer hardening agent” to keep loose surface contamination on the rubble from becoming airborne.
- The Japanese Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has suggested, after looking at more than 5 weeks of data, it is possible that fuel pellet melting has occurred in all three stricken reactors, not just #2. The degree of meltage for each reactor cannot be deduced, at this point.
- A team of IAEA BWR experts have toured the Fukushima Daiichi and Daini facilities and “noted a strong, positive attitude broadly displayed by the management, support and task implementation teams, even though the situation is not yet stabilized. Activities appeared to be well organized, efforts were thoroughly planned, and responsibilities well communicated.”
- Asahi Shimbun has polled nearly 2000 of their readers, and 51% believe the Japanese nuclear electricity program should remain as it is, 30% say the reliance on nuclear should be reduced, 11% say that all nuclear plants should be shut down, and 5% say more nuclear plants ought to be built. 56% of the readers are “greatly worried” about Fukushima, and 33% “worried to some extent”. 73% of the readers felt the government’s involvement in Fukushima information flow has been “inappropriate”. 62% of Asahi’s readers disapprove of Prime Minister Kan’s actions with both Fukushima and the tsunami recovery efforts.
Hiroshima Syndrome updates…
- Prime Minister Kan today proposed to stop all existing nuclear plant construction plans until a new, more thorough examination of nuclear safety has occurred, a-la America’s Rep. Markey some weeks ago. The Japanese government approved building 14 new nukes last June. Kan made the proposal to the government’s Upper House Budget Committee. Asahi Shimbun says the details of Kan’s proposal are “unclear”. Kan also wishes to permanently forbid anyone returning to their homes within 20 km. of Daiichi. “Many staff members” of the Prime Minister’s office say Kan “gave his remarks without thoroughly weighing the issues”. Clearly, Kan is promoting a political state of nuclear panic.
- The Japanese government reports that some of the residents and their families evacuated from the 30 km. radius around Fukushima Daiichi are being discriminated against, similar to what happened to the survivors of Hiroshima. The government has broadcast that “radiation is not infectious”. While relatively few people treating evacuees disrespectfully, the number of incidents has been enough for the government to say something. The government says most of the Japanese public seems calm and supportive, but there is a small fraction of citizens who are “over-reacting”.
