No, you're missing it here. Without water which he is assuming requires electrically operated pumps to move.
Of course, there are usually multiple sources of water than can be called upon to re-fill the spent fuel pool before the water all boils off. But virtually all of these systems are dependent upon working, electrically operated pumps to move this water. If control systems have failed due to the EMP and there is no power to operate the pumps (either to add additional water or to pump water through the heat exchangers), then the fuel will ultimately become uncovered.Taking all this as true, if they can get water into the site, his concern is mooted.
From Stricken Japan nuclear plant rocked by 2nd blast:
"Authorities have been pouring sea water into three reactors at the plant after cooling system failures…"
From Reuters blog:
Masashi Goto, Japanese engineer who helped design the containment vessel for Fukushima reactor, gave press conference with English translation focusing on reactor 3. very informative: www.ustream.tv
comment by Joe at 1:33 PM
“If the cooling process stops, the radiation can’t be contained anymore. The government is saying reassuring words to say everything is all right. But the public needs to understand that this is beyond what the reactor was designed to withstand.” -
Masashi Goto, former Toshiba Nuclear Power Plant Designer who helped design the containment vessel for Fukushima’s reactor core
comment by Mark at 1:32 PM
Plus, if you read the article, the spent fuel doesn’t just need water, it need the water circulating through a heat exchanger.
It’s not a character weakness to look at possible dangers of what’s going on there. Sheesh.