Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has confirmed that some of the fuel rods from the reactor number four of the Fukushima nuclear power plant-1 were damaged, although most would be in good condition, according to Kyodo news agency. The National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) has confirmed on Wednesday that radioactive waste from the reactor four in the central Fukushima have exceeded 100,000 times normal levels.
Engineers have detected high levels of radioactivity, in particular iodine 220-131 becquerels per cubic centimeter, 88, cesium-134 and 93, cesium-137 in water sample taken from the pool that holds the bars in this reactor. The head of the plant affected by radioactive leaks, a sample of 400 milliliters of water taken from the unit and confirmed levels of radioactive materials such as iodine and cesium above the normal level.
According to TEPCO, this confirms that some of the 1,331 fuel rods are damaged, but most are in an acceptable state. The reactor 4, which contained only spent fuel rods and is not used for electricity production was affected by a hydrogen explosion and damaged by fire after the March 11 earthquake of 9 degrees on the Richter scale and subsequent tsunami hit the facility.
According to the engineers, the water level in the pools has dropped, as it is believed that the bar could also have been damaged by the remains of the roof of the reactor to collapse. The electricity will send an unmanned helicopter to analyze the situation of the pools, exposed to air and see if you can extract the fuel rods.
Moreover, the company also indicated that concentrations of radioactive materials in the sea of central keep falling, but remain at high levels. The last levels of radioactive iodine in waters close to the reactor 2 was 2,500 times above the legal limit, below the 7.5 million times detected on 2 April. 
Engineers have detected high levels of radioactivity, in particular iodine 220-131 becquerels per cubic centimeter, 88, cesium-134 and 93, cesium-137 in water sample taken from the pool that holds the bars in this reactor. The head of the plant affected by radioactive leaks, a sample of 400 milliliters of water taken from the unit and confirmed levels of radioactive materials such as iodine and cesium above the normal level.
According to TEPCO, this confirms that some of the 1,331 fuel rods are damaged, but most are in an acceptable state. The reactor 4, which contained only spent fuel rods and is not used for electricity production was affected by a hydrogen explosion and damaged by fire after the March 11 earthquake of 9 degrees on the Richter scale and subsequent tsunami hit the facility.
According to the engineers, the water level in the pools has dropped, as it is believed that the bar could also have been damaged by the remains of the roof of the reactor to collapse. The electricity will send an unmanned helicopter to analyze the situation of the pools, exposed to air and see if you can extract the fuel rods.
Moreover, the company also indicated that concentrations of radioactive materials in the sea of central keep falling, but remain at high levels. The last levels of radioactive iodine in waters close to the reactor 2 was 2,500 times above the legal limit, below the 7.5 million times detected on 2 April.
- Tepco Plans to Move Fukushima Backup Power to Higher Ground (14/04/2011)
- Japan: TEPCO reports a new fire at Reactor No. 4 (15/03/2011)
- You: Radioactive pools block reactor repairs (27/03/2011)
- Q+A-Risks at each reactor of Japan's stricken plant - Reuters (14/04/2011)
- Japan plans state-backed insurer to save Tepco - Nikkei - Reuters (14/04/2011)
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