(Nature) Fukushima nuclear plant is leaking like a sieve

[kristopher]

Fukushima nuclear plant is leaking like a sieve
- May 26, 2011

As more details leak out about the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, it's become clear that something else is leaking—radioactive water from the cores of three damaged reactors.

Leaks have been a persistent problem at the plant since it was struck by an earthquake and tsunami on 11 March. Three reactors operating at the time of the quake went into meltdown after the tsunami wiped out emergency generators designed to circulate water through the cores. TEPCO recently admitted that all three units probably suffered complete meltdowns before workers could flood them with seawater.

Since then, reactor operators have kept water flowing to the cores and several fuel storage pools above the reactors. That same water appears to be flowing out into the basements of buildings and eventually the Pacific Ocean, where environmentalists and scientists have raised concerns about possible contamination.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which runs the plant, hoped to rectify the problem by pumping water into storage tanks until it can be reprocessed, but today Reuters reports that the storage tanks appear to be leaking.

And that's just the start of the bad news because the ...

http://blogs.nature.com/news/2011/05/fukushima_nuclear_plant_is_lea_1.html

[RC]

1. If the anti-nukers had been around when

fire was discovered, they would have railed against that. It's dangerous. It hurts really bad if you get too near it. It burns the hunting grounds and there is nothing left to eat. Yada, yada, yada...

Anyway we figured out how to tame fire. We will do the same with Nuclear. We have just started learning how.

[Downtown Hound]

3. Dumb. n/t

[jpak]

13. yup

n/t

[bananas]

4. Get back to us if you ever figure it out. In the meantime, we don't need it.

There are more than enough clean and safe resources to stop global warming and power a growing technological civilization, we don't need dirty dangerous expensive nuclear energy.

[TheWraith]

7. Right, just ignore that additional 50 years of coal power we need to meet those "clean" goals. nt

[bananas]

9. Renewables and efficiency come online faster and cheaper than nuclear

There's just no good reason for any new nuclear.

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. How many generations of deformed babies was fire responsible for?

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[WhiteTara]

8. go live next door to Fukishima and then spew

that crap.

[meow mix]

11. "we figured out how to tame fire. We will do the same with Nuclear"

nice way to admit the failings of nuclear "industry" :rofl:

yeah eventually we'll figure it out:rofl: :rofl: .. but in the meantime lets continue to fling plutonium around like monkeys.

[Zoeisright]

2. More unreccs from the nuke porn crowd.

Just don't want to face reality, do you?

[CoffeeCat]

10. They're disgusting...

...and those corporate pimps won't win.

They look ridiculous by now.

[flamingdem]

12. They don't care, it's just business at issue for them....

Hope things are peaceful and healthy by you and yours CC!

[CoffeeCat]

14. Oh flamingdem...

...we are hanging in there. I'm still mystified by the lack of
coverage on the isotopes in the U.S. Still taking precautions
and hoping that something changes.

I just read that TEPCO will begin live-stream video from the
Fukushima plant. I find that quite a puzzle. I don't mean
to look a gift horse in the mouth; transparency is what is
needed. However, this seems so contrary to the media
blackout that has been status quo since the earthquake.

Reminds me of BP putting that camera on the ocean floor, and
giving us all a front-row view of the oil gusher.

Do you have any insight as to why TEPCO is doing this? Are
they truly being transparent...or is this just another game?

Thanks for any info.

I hope you and yours are doing well! Are you still avoiding
leafy greens and milk? I'm doing my best. It's hard with two
children. We're doing kelp tablets and vitamins.

Take care!