Posted on 03/12/2011 10:22:33 PM PST by SteveH
Edited on 03/12/2011 11:37:14 PM PST by Jim Robinson. [history]
The type of accident occurring now in Japan derives from a loss of offsite AC power and then a subsequent failure of emergency power on site. Engineers there are racing to restore AC power to prevent a core meltdown.
First came the earthquake, centered just off the east coast of Japan, near Honshu. The horror of the tsunami quickly followed. Now the world waits as emergency crews attempt to stop a core meltdown from occurring at the Fukushima Daichi nuclear reactor, already the site of an explosion of the reactor's housing structure.
(Excerpt) Read more at scientificamerican.com ...
It was probably automated and went to shit the moment they lost backup power systems. I’m taking much news about this with a grain of salt. The plant in question I believe is Old, and I’m practically amazed it exceeded the original building codes which the earthquake had surpassed.
But still, I probably got more radiation walking from my garage to my car than what is currently being released. But I’m no expert, just a concerned college student who has always advocated the nuclear power stuff.
There were standby generators, that apparently got swamped by the tsunami.
AC power was been restored to the plants days ago.
Toyko Electric Power;
www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/index-e.html
http://www.nisa.meti.go.jp/english/
Offsite power has been available for days now, (meaning they are connected to the grid), read the primary sources in my post above this one.
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