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169907
Tue, 03/22/2011 - 09:57
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http://m.oananews.org//node/169907
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Steam, gas billowing again from 2nd, 3rd units of Fukushima-1 NPP
TOKYO, March 22 (Itar-Tass) - Columns of white steam and smoke rose again on Tuesday over the second and third power units of the emergency Fukushima-1 Japanese nuclear power plant that was hit by a tsunami wave as a result of a strong earthquake. The reason remains unclear so far, however, all operations have been suspended at the NPP. In particular, the equipment repair and restoration work has been stopped at the first, second, fifth and sixth units, which on Monday were connected to normal mains power supply. A decision was made to postpone also preparations for the injection of water into the spent fuel storage pool.
Columns of steam and smoke had already been billowing on Monday from the second and third power units of the NPP. However, this did not result in increased radiation levels.
Earlier, the workers managed to connect the first reactor of the NPP to an external power source to resume the supply of electricity to
activate the power unit's cooling system located in the spent nuclear fuel pool. Thus, four of six reactors of the NPP that on March 11 was affected by an earthquake and ensuing tsunami, are currently connected to the emergency diesel generators. Electricity supply to the most problematic third reactor, the building of which was destroyed in an explosion, and to the fourth, where a fire occurred, has not yet been resumed.
According to the Kyodo news agency, work to restore power and crucial cooling functions resumed Tuesday morning at the crisis-hit reactors at the quake-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, following suspension Monday after smoke was detected at its No 2 and No 3 reactors, its operator said. Firefighters and the Self-Defence Forces also prepared to restart a mission later in the day to spray a massive amount of coolant water onto spent nuclear fuel pools at the No 3 and No 4 reactors, according to Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO).
Although white smoke, possibly steam, was found to be continuously
billowing from the buildings of the No 2 and No 3 reactors, the utility known as TEPCO found it does not obstruct electricity restoration work as radiation levels did not particularly surge at the site. An external power source was connected to the No 4 reactor in the morning, making it the fifth of the plant's six reactors to have regained a power supply needed for the restoration of equipment such as a ventilation system to filter radioactive substances from the air and some measuring tools at the control room. TEPCO aims to restore power systems to revive some key facilities such as data measuring equipment and functions at a control room by Wednesday for the No 1 and No 2 reactors and by Thursday for the No 3 and No 4 reactors, said Hidehiko Nishiyama, a spokesman for the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, at a press conference.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on
Tuesday that the radiation level at a distance of 20 kilometres from the Fukushima-1 NPP 1,600 times exceeds the norm. Data collected by an IAEA team show that radiation levels of 161 microsievert per hour have been detected in the town of Namie, Fukushima Prefecture, the IAEA officials said. The government has set an exclusion zone covering areas within a 20-kilometre radius of the plant and has urged people within 20 to 30 kilometres to stay indoors.
Columns of steam and smoke had already been billowing on Monday from the second and third power units of the NPP. However, this did not result in increased radiation levels.
Earlier, the workers managed to connect the first reactor of the NPP to an external power source to resume the supply of electricity to
activate the power unit's cooling system located in the spent nuclear fuel pool. Thus, four of six reactors of the NPP that on March 11 was affected by an earthquake and ensuing tsunami, are currently connected to the emergency diesel generators. Electricity supply to the most problematic third reactor, the building of which was destroyed in an explosion, and to the fourth, where a fire occurred, has not yet been resumed.
According to the Kyodo news agency, work to restore power and crucial cooling functions resumed Tuesday morning at the crisis-hit reactors at the quake-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, following suspension Monday after smoke was detected at its No 2 and No 3 reactors, its operator said. Firefighters and the Self-Defence Forces also prepared to restart a mission later in the day to spray a massive amount of coolant water onto spent nuclear fuel pools at the No 3 and No 4 reactors, according to Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO).
Although white smoke, possibly steam, was found to be continuously
billowing from the buildings of the No 2 and No 3 reactors, the utility known as TEPCO found it does not obstruct electricity restoration work as radiation levels did not particularly surge at the site. An external power source was connected to the No 4 reactor in the morning, making it the fifth of the plant's six reactors to have regained a power supply needed for the restoration of equipment such as a ventilation system to filter radioactive substances from the air and some measuring tools at the control room. TEPCO aims to restore power systems to revive some key facilities such as data measuring equipment and functions at a control room by Wednesday for the No 1 and No 2 reactors and by Thursday for the No 3 and No 4 reactors, said Hidehiko Nishiyama, a spokesman for the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, at a press conference.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on
Tuesday that the radiation level at a distance of 20 kilometres from the Fukushima-1 NPP 1,600 times exceeds the norm. Data collected by an IAEA team show that radiation levels of 161 microsievert per hour have been detected in the town of Namie, Fukushima Prefecture, the IAEA officials said. The government has set an exclusion zone covering areas within a 20-kilometre radius of the plant and has urged people within 20 to 30 kilometres to stay indoors.
