Antinuclear

U.S. Navy worried about crew’s exposure to radiation

The US navy confirmed it had moved the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, support ships and aircraft operations away from Fukushima’s vicinity after the carrier’s instruments detected a plume of low-level radiation from the damaged plant equivalent to a month’s normal exposure..

Fuel rods exposed at Fukushima nuclear plant THE AUSTRALIAN, Peter Alford, 15 March 11, ANOTHER nuclear safety crisis has erupted at the earthquake-crippled Fukushima Daiichi power plant as fuel rods that became exposed yesterday afternoon might have started melting down.

A second large explosion at the plant yesterday morning – at the No 3 reactor – heavily damaged the building, injuring three workers. But Fukushima operator Tokyo Electric Power Co last night disclosed an even more dangerous situation existed when the fuel rods at the No 2 reactor became fully exposed.

A Tepco official said water levels fell suddenly as pumps injecting seawater directly into the reactor as an emergency measure lost power.

Pumping has resumed, but Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano indicated late last night that technicians were still trying to stabilise the situation. Though he added the risk of a major explosion had diminished.

Mr Edano said the explosion at the No 3 reactor yesterday was caused by an accumulation of hydrogen gas, similar to Saturday’s situation in the No 1 reactor building. “We (believe) the radioactive material is not spreading widely, however, we would guess that the release of certain levels of radioactive material cannot be avoided,” he said.

The US navy confirmed it had moved the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, support ships and aircraft operations away from Fukushima’s vicinity after the carrier’s instruments detected a plume of low-level radiation from the damaged plant equivalent to a month’s normal exposure……..http://www.theaustralian.com.au/tens-of-thousands-dead-as-japan-scrambles-to-avert-nuclear-catastrophe/story-fn84naht-1226021465830

March 15, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized