Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

ghostsinthemachine

(3,569 posts)
Sat Feb 4, 2017, 12:51 PM Feb 2017

Fukushima reactor #2 pressure vessel breached, "unimaginable levels of radiation"

Radiation levels inside a damaged reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station are at their highest since the plant suffered a triple meltdown almost six years ago.

The facility’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), said atmospheric readings as high as 530 sieverts an hour had been recorded inside the containment vessel of reactor No 2,...

The recent reading, described by some experts as “unimaginable”, is far higher than the previous record of 73 sieverts an hour in that part of the reactor.

A single dose of one sievert is enough to cause radiation sickness and nausea; 5 sieverts would kill half those exposed to it within a month, and a single dose of 10 sieverts would prove fatal within weeks.

Tepco also said image analysis had revealed a hole in metal grating beneath the same reactor’s pressure vessel. The one-metre-wide hole was probably created by nuclear fuel that melted and then penetrated the vessel after the tsunami knocked out Fukushima Daiichi’s back-up cooling system....
Not too much to add to this. They are not saying that the core has escaped the containment vessel and are claiming that no radiation has escaped the reactor, but later in the article admit that they don’t really know where the core is. If it is true that radiation levels are rising, that is probably not a good thing.


http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/3/1629551/--Fukushima-Reactor-2-pressure-vessel-breached-rising-to-unimaginable-levels-of-radiation?detail=facebook

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Fukushima reactor #2 pressure vessel breached, "unimaginable levels of radiation" (Original Post) ghostsinthemachine Feb 2017 OP
It's never stopped and as we have been busy and looking elsewhere... Pachamama Feb 2017 #1
Yes we are in good hands now..(NT) ghostsinthemachine Feb 2017 #2
This is truly alarming! n/t Anonymous Bosh Feb 2017 #3
This has been pushed out of the news so long flamingdem Feb 2017 #4
I remember watching the Tepco live-feed and seeing radioactive bursts in real time NWCorona Feb 2017 #5
Pave roads???? for real????? dixiegrrrrl Feb 2017 #6
I love sushi but I had to cut back. NWCorona Feb 2017 #8
always blows my mind when people argue nuclear power is a feasible power source starshine00 Feb 2017 #7

Pachamama

(16,887 posts)
1. It's never stopped and as we have been busy and looking elsewhere...
Sat Feb 4, 2017, 12:59 PM
Feb 2017

The radiation from Fuckishima has been ignored by much of the world and is poisoning us and there are many more of these aging identical designed reactors, right here in the US.

Good thing we have Sec.Rick Perry and the Trump EPA to make sure that doesn't happen here.

flamingdem

(39,313 posts)
4. This has been pushed out of the news so long
Sat Feb 4, 2017, 01:29 PM
Feb 2017

People just shrug. Plus, they call you crazy if you point out that this material is polluting the waters where fish swim that are eaten here. Long range salmon for example.

NWCorona

(8,541 posts)
5. I remember watching the Tepco live-feed and seeing radioactive bursts in real time
Sat Feb 4, 2017, 01:58 PM
Feb 2017

And hearing about the hot particles being found here on the West Coast. Then the news just stopped covering Fukushima leaving those interested to have to actively search for coverage. Even now, most who bring Fukushima up are almost always discounted as conspiracy theorists.

The massive amounts of radioactive contaminated materials is staggering. All that cooling water, now highly contaminated, is being released into the sea. The soil, enough to fill 18 sports arenas, will now be used to pave roads.

Crazy

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
6. Pave roads???? for real?????
Sat Feb 4, 2017, 02:39 PM
Feb 2017

as for fish....we stopped eating it several years ago, and grimly admitted mankind is too stupid to live, as a rule.

NWCorona

(8,541 posts)
8. I love sushi but I had to cut back.
Sat Feb 4, 2017, 02:52 PM
Feb 2017
The Environment Ministry on Tuesday drew up a basic plan to use soil contaminated with radioactive substances from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant to build roads.

Under the basic plan, tainted soil with relatively low radioactive cesium concentrations of up to 5,000 to 8,000 becquerels per kilogram will be used to form the base layer of roads.

This level will then be covered with uncontaminated soil, asphalt and other material with at a thickness of at least 50 to 100 cm.

By covering radioactive soil with untainted material, the health risk for residents living in nearby areas will be minimized as their annual radiation dose will be kept to 0.01 millisievert or less, according to the ministry.


http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/06/07/national/radioactive-soil-to-be-used-in-base-layer-for-new-roads/#.WJYhrxnTnqA

The biggest issue I have is that the Japanese Gov has downplayed official radiation levels in the past.
 

starshine00

(531 posts)
7. always blows my mind when people argue nuclear power is a feasible power source
Sat Feb 4, 2017, 02:44 PM
Feb 2017

this is ONE reactor, plus ONE natural disaster, and we have untenable and uncontainable results, that will effect us for what, hundreds or thousands of years? And there are people out there who believe we need MORE of these things around?

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Fukushima reactor #2 pres...