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Fukushima: the Removal of Nuclear Fuel Rods From Damaged Reactor Building Begins (theguardian.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Workers at the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have begun removing fuel rods from a storage pool near one of the three reactors that suffered meltdowns eight years ago. The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) said on Monday that work had begun to remove the first of 566 used and unused fuel assemblies in reactor building No 3. The fuel rods stored in unit No 3's cooling pool were not damaged in the 2011 disaster, when a powerful earthquake and tsunami knocked out Fukushima Daiichi's backup power supply and triggered the world's worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl, 25 years earlier.
Tepco said the operation to remove the fuel rods, which are in uncovered pools, would take two years, adding that transferring them to safer ground would better protect them in the event of another catastrophic earthquake. Workers are remotely operating a crane to raise the fuel from a storage rack in the pool and place it into a protective cask. The whole process occurs underwater to prevent radiation leaks. The utility plans to repeat the procedure in the two other reactors that suffered meltdowns.
Tepco said the operation to remove the fuel rods, which are in uncovered pools, would take two years, adding that transferring them to safer ground would better protect them in the event of another catastrophic earthquake. Workers are remotely operating a crane to raise the fuel from a storage rack in the pool and place it into a protective cask. The whole process occurs underwater to prevent radiation leaks. The utility plans to repeat the procedure in the two other reactors that suffered meltdowns.
So this is a great time to commend the workers and engineers at the Fukushima plant and express gratitude for their efforts to get this disaster under control. Thank you!!!!
I don't know about commending them. Maybe just let them know they no longer bring dishonor to their ancestors
I was very specific about where I directed my gratitude. It was TEPCO engineers that warned the board about the dangers, who then faced ridicule for doing so.
The TEPCO board bought dishonor to Japan through their criminal negligence, one which threatened the sovereignty of the nation IIRC a opinion expressed by Abe to the TEPCO board. They were the ones who could have prevented this disaster but did not. NISA was also to blame for colluding with the TEPCO board, they failed to protect the Japanese people and, indeed, the population of the world by not forcing the issue of sea walls and relocation of backup generators with legal regulation. It was not so long ago that the TEPCO board was charged with negligence over this matter. They should be ashamed.
So yes, commending the workers and engineers who choose to work there is appropriate for the sacrifices they have made. They deserve our gratitude.
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
This report should show you EXACTLY why we dont go all in on nuclear. We dont even have a long term plan for storing the fucking waste. How do you build a storage facility that is intended to last 10,000 years??? FYI, our civilization is only about 6,500 years old.
Good-bye