Reply #133: Forbes article quote disagrees (link) [View All]

[abqmufc]

Found this tonight....argue it if you will but I'll accept his credentials and concerns. Storage pools are NOT contained inside any dome.

"Risk of Nuclear Catastrophe Escalates in Japan – ‘Worse than Chernobyl’"
Forbes by William Pentland, March 11, 2011
(the article quotes The Institute for Public Accuracy nuclear expert, Kevin Kamp)
.......“In addition to the reactor cores, the storage pool for highly radioactive irradiated nuclear fuel is also at risk. The pool cooling water must be continuously circulated. Without circulation, the still thermally hot irradiated nuclear fuel in the storage pools will begin to boil off the cooling water. Within a day or two, the pool’s water could completely boil away. Without cooling water, the irradiated nuclear fuel could spontaneously combust in an exothermic reaction. Since the storage pools are not located within containment, a catastrophic radioactivity release to the environment could occur. Up to 100 percent of the volatile radioactive Cesium-137 content of the pools could go up in flames and smoke, to blow downwind over large distances. Given the large quantity of irradiated nuclear fuel in the pool, the radioactivity release could be worse than the Chernobyl nuclear reactor catastrophe of 25 years ago.”....

http://blogs.forbes.com/williampentland/2011/03/11/risk-of-nuclear-catastrophe-escalates-in-japan-worse-than-chernobyl/

Even if it doesn't boil off or catch fire, it IS right now boiling off and emitting radioactive materials into the air, it will fail eventually and possibly into the ocean and hit the food chain. One thing is for certain the true impact won't be know for at least one generation if not 2.