NRC: Fragments of Nuclear Fuel from Spent Fuel Pools ... were Blown "Up to 1 Mile from the Units"

[Junkdrawer]

U.S. Sees New Threats at Japan’s Nuclear Plant

United States government engineers sent to help with the crisis in Japan are warning that the troubled nuclear plant there is facing a wide array of fresh threats that could persist indefinitely, and that in some cases are expected to increase as a result of the very measures being taken to keep the plant stable, according to a confidential assessment prepared by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

...

The document, which was obtained by The New York Times, provides a more detailed technical assessment of the conundrum facing the Japanese as they struggle to prevent more fuel melting at the Fukushima Daiichi plant than Japanese officials have provided, though it appears to rely largely on data shared with American experts by the Japanese.

Among other problems, the documents raises new questions about whether pouring water on nuclear fuel in the absence of functioning electronic cooling systems can be sustained indefinitely. Experts have said the Japanese need to continue to keep the fuel cool for many months until the plant can be stabilized, but there is growing awareness that the risks of pumping water on the fuel present a whole new category of challenges that the nuclear industry is only beginning to comprehend.

The document also suggests that fragments or particles of nuclear fuel from spent fuel pools above the reactors were blown “up to 1 mile from the units,” and that pieces of highly radioactive material fell between two of the units and had to be “bulldozed over,” presumably to protect workers at the site. The ejection of nuclear material, which may have occurred during one of the earlier hydrogen explosions, may indicate more extensive damage to the extremely radioactive pools than previously disclosed.

...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/06/world/asia/06nuclear.html?hp

:wow:

[ReturnoftheDjedi]

1. these TEPCO sons of bitches haven't said a word about this. the obfuscation is criminal.

[Junkdrawer]

2. Remember the night of March 14th when they withdrew the workers?

Betcha dosimeters went wild and they sent in the bulldozers to bury the rod fragments....

[Auntie Bush]

3. They are far worse than BP if that's possible.

[Raschel]

15. I can't believe they lied to us.

:nuke:

[Logical]

4. That is horrible. Wow.

[Poll_Blind]

5. Dude. We are all going to get the goddamned Concrete Donkey over this.

Not the Super Banana Bomb, not the Holy Hand grenade, not even a ninja-roped Old Lady.

It's going to be the Donkey, and I'm seriously thinking about selling off my shit and moving someplace else to get out of the motherfucker's way.

PB

[unblock]

6. i'm not sure how "bulldozing over" radioactive material really helps

unless they mean they bulldozed it over with 17 feet of concrete.

[KT2000]

7. Hiding it was likely

the first order of business.

[Junkdrawer]

8. Out of sight so workers could be told it was OK to return?

Someday they'll have to dig the rods back up...unless the whole site is buried in concrete.

[tnlefty]

9. I read this on the enery news site yesterday (I think)

and I just about vomited. I mentioned this to the guys here and they were quiet for a while.

Nothing to see here - eat your spinach, drink your milk, and the water then go to sleep, and if you can't go to sleep just shut the hell up. :sarcasm: if really needed.

[Gold Metal Flake]

10. Safe, clean and green.

Too cheap to meter.

[cliffordu]

11. SO: They turned Japan into a dirty bomb......

[yodermon]

12. So the hydrogen explosion(s) *DID* eject spent fuel fragments??

well hell, one look at #3 could tell you that.

My lyin' eyes proven right once again.

[ReturnoftheDjedi]

13. it's no wonder there's Plutonium all over the place.

[jimlup]

14. Actually if you think of the construction of the plants and the location of the spent fuel pools

This isn't a surprise. I knew the explosions were not as Benin as was initially reported.

[Junkdrawer]

16. Kick

:kick:

[bananas]

17. k&r nt