Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Fukushima Diary: Even Tepco Admitted Melt-Out Occurring



NHK is also running this story here:

TEPCO: Melted fuel ate into containment vessel

"The operator of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has announced the results of an analysis on the state of melted fuel in the plant's Number 1 unit....

...TEPCO said that in the worse case, all fuel rods in the plant's Number 1 reactor may have melted and dropped through its bottom into a containment vessel. The bottom of the vessel is concrete covered with a steel plate.

The utility said the fuel may have eroded the bottom to a depth of 65 centimeters. The thinnest part of the section is only 37 centimeters thick.

TEPCO also said as much as 57 percent of the fuel in the plant's Number 2 reactor and 63 percent in the Number 3 reactor may have melted, and that some of the melted fuel may have fallen through reactor vessels. Wednesday, November 30, 2011 20:02 +0900 (JST)"

MAJIA HERE: This story simply rewrites history. Tepco previously admitted to melt-throughs. 
Over and over, Tepco's strategy has been to release partial truths and then subsequently release "cover-up" stories that are more broadly broadcast in order to mislead public opinion.

Previous reports of melt-throughs:
Justin McCurry “Fukushima Nuclear Plant May Have Suffered ‘Melt-Through,’ Japan Admits,” The Guardian (2011, Jun3 8): http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/08/fukushima-nuclear-plant-melt-through?CMP=twt_gu 

 “Melt-through' at Fukushima? / Govt report to IAEA suggests situation worse than meltdown,” The Daily Yomiuri Online (2011, June 8): http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T110607005367.htm  

 Julian Ryall “Nuclear Fuel Has Melted Through Base of Fukushima Plant,” The Telegraph (2011, June 9):  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/8565020/Nuclear-fuel-has-melted-through-base-of-Fukushima-plant.html.

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