Fukushima News 4/14/15: 'Major Blow' Dead/Abandoned Robot Reported 10 Sv/h ; Reactor Restart Blocked

• published: 15 Apr 2015
• views: 301

TEPCO releases reactor footage captured by robot Nuclear & Energy Apr. 13, 2015 - Updated 07:38 UTC-4 The operator of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has released interior footage of a reactor containment vessel captured by a robot. Tokyo Electric Power Company sent the remote-controlled robot into the highly contaminated area of the No.1 reactor last Friday to assess damage. But the robot became immobile after advancing about a dozen meters. On Monday, TEPCO released part of the about 3-hour-long footage recorded by the robot. The 2-minute 40-second-long clip shows mainly steam. It is thought that water at the bottom of the containment vessel is being evaporated by the heat of the melted nuclear fuel. The temperature inside the vessel was about 20 degrees Celsius. But the robot recorded up to around 10 sieverts of radiation per hour, a level that could kill a person in about 40 minutes. The footage shows small bits of debris around the robot, but no major damage to the nearby wall and structures. TEPCO plans to analyze the footage to consider ways of removing the melted fuel and decommissioning the reactors. The utility has cut the remote control cable for the robot after giving up on its recovery on Sunday, and postponed a second survey with another robot. TEPCO abandons robot in reactor Nuclear & Energy Apr. 12, 2015 - Updated 16:51 UTC-4 The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has given up recovering a robotic probe that has remained stationary inside one of the reactors at the complex. Tokyo Electric Power Company inserted the remote-controlled robot for the first time into the containment vessel of the No.1 reactor on Friday. The 60-centimeter-long, snake-like robot was supposed to survey internal damage to the vessel. But it stalled after moving about 10 meters. TEPCO and other engineers suggest the possibility that the robot or its remote-control cable has become caught on something. The workers used the robot's camera to confirm the state of the reactor. They also operated the robot's maneuvering belt and manually pulled the cable. But the robot has remained immobile and is not showing any sign of improvement. That's forced the company to give up recovering the device. Company officials also postponed plans to conduct a similar survey on the same vessel using another robot on Monday. They say this is because the first robot's cable in the vessel's pipe is blocking the entry of the second probe. TEPCO officials say they have yet to decide when to conduct the second survey as they have to first complete an investigation into the accident. [Video/Photo] The dead robot reported 10 Sv/h in Reactor 1 / Grating covered with something like yellow glue http://fukushima-diary.com/2015/04/videophoto-the-dead-robot-reported-10-svh-in-reactor-1-grating-covered-with-something-like-yellow-glue/ ‘Major blow’ at Fukushima as robot loses control inside reactor — Moved 10 meters before failing — Max radiation readings more than doubled since 2012 — ‘Eerie footage’ shows orange glow in area with highest levels (VIDEO) http://enenews.com/major-blow-fukushima-robot-loses-control-inside-reactor-moved-10-meters-before-failing-max-radiation-levels-doubled-2012-video Top US Nuclear Physicist: “Iodine-131 will be lethal after ingestion of 30 billionths of a gram” — Main worry is not a Chernobyl-type accident, rather it’s a melt-through of containment vessel — “Not possible to disprove China Syndrome” http://enenews.com/top-nuclear-physicist-iodine-131-will-be-lethal-after-ingestion-30-billionths-gram-main-worry-chernobyl-type-accident-melt-containment-vessel-possible-disprove-china-syndrome VIDEO: Extremely rare whale washes up in Northeast Japan — Just one sighting of species in history — Similar creature found dead nearby http://enenews.com/extremely-rare-whale-washes-northeast-japan-wi Fukui court blocks reactor restart Nuclear & Energy Apr. 14, 2015 - Updated 03:13 UTC-4 A court in Fukui Prefecture, central Japan, has issued a provisional injunction blocking the restart of 2 reactors at the Takahama nuclear plant. A group of 9 citizens had filed for the injunction to keep the plant's No.3 and 4 reactors offline, citing safety problems. Officials of the plant's operator, Kansai Electric Power Company, said they had taken thorough anti-quake measures based on lessons learned from the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in 2011. Since Fukushima, much interest has developed in the application of checking food and water for possible radiation contamination. Here are your options: http://www.geigercounters.com/FoodContaminant.htm