Japan reactor nuclear core may have breached

Yahoo News ^ | 03-25-11 | AP

[Lazlo in PA]

TOKYO – Japanese nuclear safety officials said Friday that they suspect that the reactor core at one unit of the troubled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant may have breached, raising the possibility of more severe contamination to the environment.

"It is possible that somewhere at the reactor may have been damaged," said Hidehiko Nishiyama, a spokesman for the nuclear safety agency. But he added that "our data suggest the reactor retains certain containment functions," implying that the damage may have occurred in Unit 3's reactor core but that it was limited.

[Ramius]

It ought to be relatively simple to determine if this is true, or not.

[Eleutheria5]

Where is Hindsight Man? Why does reality resemble South Park?

[Lazlo in PA]

Caught this breaking on FOX. They had this guy they called a Nuclear Expert on for questions. The guy didn’t sound as much as a scientist as an activist. Low and behold, it was Paul Carroll from this Ploughshares Fund. Some Commie Pinko anti Nukes group. What a bunch of sh!#. He didn’t even have any scientific background.

Paul Carroll
Program Director
San Francisco, CA
415-775-2244

Paul is responsible for managing the grantmaking at Ploughshares and ensuring that resources are directed toward the smartest people with the best ideas for reducing the risks from nuclear weapons and reducing conflict. Prior to coming on board in 2000, Paul worked at the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Paul has a Bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and a Masters of Public Policy in National Security Studies from the University of Maryland.

[iowamark]

I thought the same thing. I know that it is 3AM on the East Coast but can’t they find someone sober who knows something about nuclear power?

[Revel]

FYE

[buzzer]

What scares me more are reports of civilians with radiation poisoning 150 miles from fukushima.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/25/3174098.htm?section=justin

[HiTech RedNeck]

Tokyo is further than that from the damaged reactors.

A radiation sensor going off for passengers who traveled from Japan to China might or might not mean something related to the reactors, though of course it ought to be followed up according to good scientific practices. If somebody has gotten a medical test recently involving radioactive isotopes, that too can set off dumb radiation screening machines.

[spetznaz]

They will eventually have to bury them ...it is not a matter of if but when. (disclaimer - I am not a chicken little and support nuclear energy).

[Liberty Valance]

May?

[bgill]

It is possible that somewhere at the reactor may have been damaged,"

Maybe, could be, I dunno but we called off work again.... Come on, admit it, they don't have the foggiest idea. The CEO needs to pack his bags and slip quietly out of the country because that thing is going to blow.

[newzjunkey]

What scares me more are reports of civilians with radiation poisoning 150 miles from fukushima.

Consider the source. It's CHINA reporting this about people who allegedly flew there. Who can verify it? China has an agenda and would not be above lying to make Japan look bad.

[Ronin]

That’s my feeling on it as well. Certainly the Number 3 Reactor is going to have to be entombed.

[RhoTheta]

There are two sites that I watch that seem to have regular information updates as to what is happening at the nuclear plants.

One is the IAEA and the other is the Nuclear Energy Institute.

Reading these, you get a lot clearer picture of the work flow around the six units. It doesn't sound nearly as alarming as the MSM, AP and Yahoo reports.

[Smokin' Joe]

Reading these, you get a lot clearer picture of the work flow around the six units. It doesn't sound nearly as alarming as the MSM, AP and Yahoo reports.

That is because the IAEA and the Nuclear Energy Institute aren't in the business of selling ad time and getting ratings.

[BlackVeil]

I know that it is 3AM on the East Coast but can’t they find someone sober who knows something about nuclear power?

Perhaps not. Maybe all the nuclear experts, upon hearing this news, got on the sauce.

[FreedomPoster]

Obviously you haven’t been paying attention. Our MSM has featured almost nothing in the way of experts but people from anti-nuclear groups. The example here is typical.

[driftdiver]

What is the criteria for “burying” them?

[NRG1973]

Here’s more from AOL News:
http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/25/dangerous-breach-suspected-at-japan-nuclear-plant/?icid=maing%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C51679

This situation doesn’t sound like its getting any better. I know that Japanese have had their hands full with the earthquake and the tsunami as well as this nuclear incident...but I would think they should have gotten the situation at Fukushima Dai-Ichi under control by now.

[NRG1973]

I agree, spetznaz. The Russians had a flawed reactor design and were forced to entomb the reactor at Chernobyl...and did so relatively quickly. The Japanese, on the other hand, are continuing to pursue the same failed strategy that hasn't worked for two weeks. I'm beginning to think that someone in the TEPCO wants to purposely undercut nuclear power so that the rest of the world won't use it anymore.