Predictably, the good news about Unit 3 was premature.

[Wilms]

Nuclear officials prepare to vent radioactive gas from crippled Japanese reactor

Associated Press, Sunday, March 20, 1:06 AM

snip

After the government said Saturday that the unit appeared to be stabilizing after being doused with water, nuclear safety officials said the efforts may not have worked. Pressure was rising again inside the reactor’s containment vessel, requiring a release of radioactive gas to prevent a more dangerous buildup, said safety agency official Hidehiko Nishiyama.

snip

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/nuclear-officials-prepare-to-vent-radioactive-gas-from-crippled-japanese-reactor/2011/03/18/ABWBIts_story.html

LBN Thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4779136

[Poll_Blind]

1. It's like acne. You think it's gone and it's back. But with proper washing hopefully it'll go away

:shrug:

PB

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. There is no Santa Claus.

Those guys have been sending out face saving reports since this thing happened. It's a total meltdown.

[NNadir]

3. Really? How come the grand nuclear tragedy that killed hundreds of millions was bumped off the...

...news pages of all the crazed news media by the latest oil war?

[girl gone mad]

4. Tasteless.

[crickets]

5. Agreed.

[Possumpoint]

6. Did I Miss Something

Hundreds of millions dead from a nuclear tragedy, where?

[Wilms]

7. You came all the way out of your fallout shelter to post THAT? n/t

[jpak]

9. Nuclear power still sucks - large

yup

[FBaggins]

8. They still don't have a way to circulate the cooling water.

Until they do, there will continue to be (less and less frequent) releases of steam.

IOW, the two reports aren't inconsistent. Until they have a way to remove hot water, cool it, and reinject it, there will be SOME steam in the reactor core and it will eventually build up to a level where it needs to be released.

The good news is that they'll know well in advance when they need to do it and can get people out of the way with plenty of notice.

[Wilms]

10. According to the article:

"the efforts may not have worked"

That is all.