posted on Apr, 6 2011 @ 02:27 AM
A leak of highly radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean from Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has been stopped, its operator
reports.
Tepco said it had injected chemical agents to solidify soil near a cracked pit that was the source of the leak.
Engineers have been struggling to stop leaks since the plant was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March.
They are currently discharging less contaminated water into the sea so more radioactive water can be stored.
Since the earthquake knocked out cooling systems workers have been pumping water into reactors to cool fuel rods, but must now deal with waste water
pooling in and below damaged reactor buildings.
Engineers also face a potential new problem of a build-up of hydrogen gas in one of the reactors at the six-unit plant. Tepco said it could inject
nitrogen gas into the No 1 reactor to prevent an explosion.
Blasts caused by a build-up of hydrogen gas took place in three reactors in the aftermath of the earthquake.
Fukushima update (6 April)
Reactor 1: Damage to the core from cooling problems. Building holed by gas explosion. Radioactive water detected in reactor and basement, and
groundwater. Hydrogen gas building up again.
Reactor 2: Damage to the core from cooling problems. Building holed by gas blast. Highly radioactive water detected in reactor and adjoining tunnel.
Crack identified in containment pit now plugged.
Reactor 3: Damage to the core from cooling problems. Building holed by gas blast; containment damage possible. Spent fuel pond partly refilled with
water after running low. Radioactive water detected in reactor and basement
Reactor 4: Reactor shut down prior to quake. Fires and explosion in spent fuel pond; water level partly restored
Reactors 5 & 6: Reactors shut down. Temperature of spent fuel pools now lowered after rising high.
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