Japan agency admits ‘melting’ of nuclear fuel

[Barrett808]

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency has reported to a Cabinet Office safety panel that nuclear fuel pellets in the Nos. 1 to 3 reactors at the quake-hit Fukushima power station are believed to have partially melted.

The report was the first time the agency, an organ of the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry, has acknowledged that nuclear fuel has melted at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant. ...

Japan agency admits ‘melting’ of nuclear fuel

[flamingdem]

1. It's going to be a massive mess to clean up those gates of hell

for instance fixing the walkway-crane took Three Mile Island engineers 5 years to do... Fuku has 4 reactors with this issue and much more radiation and other major obstacles to overcome.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. This is when some people should swallow national pride

and call Gunderson and ask for questions. He's been there. No, they won't... that be admitting just how bad of a problem this is.

While at it, they should also place a few calls to the people at the Russian Academy who also dealt with that other clusterfuck. Unfortunately, unlike TMI, we actually have some experienced people in cleaning up after clusterfucks

[flamingdem]

7. I'll post the article from yesterday's NYT about cleanup at TMI

it was very instructive! They need to get those guys over there but they've probably had their lifetime dose already!

:hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. They can still help in an advisory capacity

the internet is a great tool

[flamingdem]

11. I think they should get an invite to Tokyo and an all you can drink

night out on the town, then they'd open up and share with their compadres from the plant and let it all hang out.

[Art_from_Ark]

2. This isn't really new-- it's been known for a couple of weeks

But it's going to be a Herculean task to get this cleaned up. The people of Fukushima Prefecture are the ones who will suffer the most from this flustercluck.

[buddysmellgood]

3. Yes, it's old news, but it's a big step for TEPCO. We've got them on

the couch and we're trying to get them to see things for what they are. They've been in denial so this is progress.

[Hannah Bell]

12. only because you missed the events when they actually happened.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. There is a difference between speculation, using YOUR wrodfs

and NISA finally saying, HOUSTON we have a problem. Of course we will not know just how bad this is until they put bots in those cores.

And it wil be a mess. Some of that will also include an exclusion zone... that will last for generations.

[Art_from_Ark]

8. Speculation?

This was reported as fact a couple of weeks ago. And the Asahi Shimbun newspaper had a big headline "Partial Meltdown" on the front page of its March 14 or 15 edition.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. NISA did not report until NOW

and you said the other day I was speculating as to meltdowns

I told you then, and I will repeat again, they won't know the extent until bots go in. Depending on the percentage of damage it could still be full meltdown.

Now NISA is the equivalent of the NRC... and from what I have read, just as corrupt... if not a little more.

[bananas]

14. Yup - "The report was the first time the agency...has acknowledged that nuclear fuel has melted..."

Confirmed in a response to an LBN thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4821806&mesg_id=4822097

[FBaggins]

6. They estimated weeks ago that there was 30-70% core damage in at least two units.

Hard to say that they're "admitting" something they told us about weeks ago.

[CJvR]

13. Huh?

It was rather obvious on the day they ran down the backup batteries that there would be major core damage.

[FBaggins]

15. Exactly so.

And "core damage" is synonymous with "meltdown". The only question is "how much?"

Do they aren't "admitting" anything here.

[Someguyinjapan]

16. Who are "they"?

My questions to you are a) who are "they" and b) where is your reference for the numbers you are posting?