Fukushima leaks: Japan pledges $470m for 'ice wall'

[muriel_volestrangler]

Japan is to invest hundreds of millions of dollars into building a frozen wall around the Fukushima nuclear plant to stop leaks of radioactive water.

Government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said an estimated 47bn yen ($473m, £304m) would be allocated.

The leaks were getting worse and the government "felt it was essential to become involved to the greatest extent possible", Mr Suga said.
...
Under the government plan, a wall of frozen earth will be created around the reactors using pipes filled with coolant to prevent groundwater coming into contact with contaminated water being used to cool fuel rods.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23940214

[Warren Stupidity]

1. I can't wait for the explanation for this extraordinary effort.

[kristopher]

2. The explanation is, "desperation".

They simply have no good options and they are throwing things against the wall hoping something will stick.

The next thing I expect is an announcement that they need to build a new small reactor on site to power the refrigerating unit.

[tofuandbeer]

3. Scary situation.

[intaglio]

4. This on top of the report about new, higher, radiation readings

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23945612

Radiation levels around tanks storing contaminated water at Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant have risen by a fifth to a new high, officials say.

Ground readings near one set of tanks stood at 2,200 millisieverts (mSv) on Tuesday, the plant operator and Japan's nuclear authority said.

What is worse is the storage tank leakage is 300 tonnes (figure in audio of BBC i-Player image half way down)

[sylvanus]

5. Sooooo, they build a wall...

If they build a wall, ice or not, doesn't the groundwater back-up against said wall.
Then the ground water rises against the wall saturating the ground and destabilizing
the whole complex, which of course contains spent fuel as well as the melted cores, if indeed they've melted.
If they plan on pumping the groundwater out, where is it going and how long will it be there?
We are in some deep do-do.