TEPCO to improvise spent fuel removal – Large-scale engineering effort to construct cranes

[Barrett808]

Officials of Tokyo Electric Power Co., the operator of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, are considering a plan to remove spent fuel rods from storage pools at its reactors, sources said. ...

According to internal TEPCO documents outlining the plan to remove the spent fuel rods, metal structures will be constructed around the buildings housing the No. 1, No. 3 and No. 4 reactors and huge cranes will be set up on those frames.

The cranes would be used to lower airtight casks into the storage pools. Once the spent fuel rods were moved into the casks, the cranes would the move the casks outside of the reactor buildings.

The casks could weigh as much as 100 tons, and TEPCO officials are unsure if the cranes will be powerful enough to move them safely. ...

TEPCO to improvise spent fuel removal – Large-scale engineering effort to construct cranes

[aquart]

1. Well, I'm full of confidence.

And I thought what BP did to the Gulf was bad.

[flamingdem]

2. They are scared because of the rise in temps in fuel pool #4

there have been several articles on this today... but this improvise thing... yikes

[aquart]

3. Yes. Yikes.

BTW, have they resumed charting the sievert level in #1?

[flamingdem]

4. I just stumbled across a chart on No. 1

http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2011/04/fukushima-i-nuke-plant-pressure-remains.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[aquart]

5. Well, that's encouraging, too.

I wish I had a nice cave. With internet. And plumbing. Refrigeration. Down comforter.

I'm not ready for the end of civilization.

[aquart]

6. Well, that's encouraging, too.

I wish I had a nice cave. With internet. And plumbing. Refrigeration. Down comforter.

I'm not ready for the end of civilization.

[Nihil]

8. That's encouraging, too, two?

:hide:

[aquart]

16. My mouse hates me.

[madokie]

13. Yeah lets start building a bunch more of these nuke plants since they're so safe and all

NOT

[Turbineguy]

14. On the face of it, scary

but steam under high pressure is denser and therefore carries away heat better.

[FBaggins]

15. Did you think that was a chart of radiation (as was requested)?

And what you missed was that it's the chart for #2 that represents "bad news". #1 is what you should expect.

[Citizen Worker]

7. This sounds to me like the blind leading the blind. The Japanese government needs to takeover the

response to this disaster and relegate TEPCO to an advisory or support role. These reactors are out of control.

[SpoonFed]

9. Only that?

Where are the calls for arrests, investigations, sentences and asset forfeiture?

[Nihil]

12. Priorities people ...

> Only that?
> Where are the calls for arrests, investigations, sentences and asset forfeiture?

The highest priority issue is to get the situation under control and TEPCO do not
seem to be achieving even a small measure of that - hence the calls for the state
to step in and act on behalf of their citizens rather than their shareholders.

The calls for arrests, sentences, reparations will come in time but only later,
for two important reasons:

1) First do no harm.

People are still not only under threat of the situation worsening but under daily
danger due to the existing situation. To start the bickering over money at this
point is to do exactly the same thing as TEPCO & GE did - put a higher value on
money than on the safety & well-being of people.

2) The butcher's bill is not yet in.

The number of injuries & deaths to be laid at the feet of the executives today
is smaller than it will be when the situation has been brought under control.
Why should impatience provide an effectively reduced charge sheet for the miscreants?
Why should the reparations be calculated on today's impact, before the true extent
of the final exclusion zone (etc.) is known?


Yes, take note of each aspect but concentrate on saving the living from the dangers
of the active situation before putting price tags on those in the morgue.

[Strelnikov_]

10. "TEPCO officials are unsure if the cranes will be powerful enough to move them safely"

But, hey, what the hell, lets give it a try anyway.

I mean, dropping a 100 Ton cask filled with fuel rods from a great height is not that big of a concern now, is it.

[madokie]

11. And they want to build more nuke plants in America!

When the industry has to fly by the seat of their pants like this. They have no idea as to what to do next and its getting more and more obvious as each day and each scheme passes