Camera inserted in reactor 2 {tepco}

[xchrom]

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120119x1.html

Tokyo Electric Power Co. said Thursday it has inserted an industrial endoscope into one of the reactors that suffered a meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 power plant in its first attempt to directly check the interiors of the crippled reactors.

From images taken with the endoscope, Tepco could not confirm the level of coolant water injected into the containment vessel. The temperature inside was 44.7 degrees, about the same reading as measured by heat gauges installed in the containment vessel, Tepco said.

The pipes and wall of the containment vessel, which was full of moisture, did not appear damaged, Tepco said.

More details of the 70-minute check of reactor 2 were expected to be announced later in the day. Confirming the state of the melted fuel is likely to be difficult through this method, but it should allow the utility to at least gather more information on the reactor's condition.

[xchrom]

1. Electricity goes out at nuke plants

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20120119a5.html

Power transmission problems temporarily halted cooling systems for spent nuclear fuel facilities at both the Fukushima No. 1 and No. 2 nuclear plants Tuesday afternoon, as well as nitrogen injections into the wrecked No. 1 plant's crippled reactors, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said.

The power glitch also disrupted contaminated water treatment systems at the two plants, Tepco said.

The systems were halted after a power facility in Tamura, Fukushima Prefecture, experienced difficulties at around 4:10 p.m. Tuesday, reducing the supply of electricity to the two power stations.

But engineers were able to restart nitrogen injections into the containment vessels of the three destroyed reactors at the No. 1 plant — necessary to prevent hydrogen explosions — at around 5 p.m., and the systems for spent fuel cooling and water treatment at both plants resumed later in the day as power was gradually restored.

[FBaggins]

2. Photo

A view of grating (R) and the inner wall (L) of the containment vessel of the No. 2 reactor of Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO)'s tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Image by: HANDOUT / REUTERS

[madokie]

3. I need new glasses

I first read that as camera inserted in rectum

[xchrom]

4. oh i think since inserting cameras is a sure bet for all of our futures

that was a natural -- if -- frightening misread.

[madokie]

5. Sad thing is I agree with you

As it stands today Al Queda won

[xchrom]

6. LOL! You're right - I was just thinking

You reach a certain age & bingo they stick a camera up your tuchas.