[chimera]

Looks like there must have been some fuel damage if they are still getting hydrogen explosions, like at the No. 3 unit recently. While there are other sources of hydrogen in any steam electric plant above a certain output (hydrogen cooling of turbogenerators, for example), the most likely source here is the steam-zirconium reaction. But it appears the primary containment is still intact, as designed. Hopefully, it will remain so.

[driftdiver]

“Looks like there must have been some fuel damage if they are still getting hydrogen explosions, like at the No. 3 unit recently. “

As I understand it the hydrogen is caused by the high pressure/temperatures of the water being used as coolant. Under those conditions the water seperates into oxygen and Hydrogen.

Fuel damage would be indicated by detection of radioactive Cesium or Iodine. There apparently has been a small amount of fuel damage as coolant levels became low. However the reactors have been shutdown for a while now so the risk of a “meltdown” is decreasing.