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Title: Official: Spent fuel rods exposed, 'extremely high' radiation resulted
Source:
CNN
URL Source: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiap ... ear.reactors/index.html?hpt=T1
Published: Mar 16, 2011
Author: CNN
Post Date: 2011-03-16 20:50:20 by go65
Keywords: None
Views: 4250
Comments: 3
Tokyo (CNN) -- Spent fuel rods in Unit 4 of Japan's stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant have been exposed, resulting in the emission of "extremely high" levels of radiation, the head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday. "What we believe at this time is that there has been a hydrogen explosion in this unit due to an uncovering of the fuel in the fuel pool," Gregory Jaczko told a House energy and commerce subcommittee hearing. "We believe that secondary containment has been destroyed and there is no water in the spent fuel pool, and we believe that radiation levels are extremely high, which could possibly impact the ability to take corrective measures." The water served to both cool the uranium fuel and shield it. But once the uranium fuel was no longer covered by water, the zirconium cladding that encases the fuel rods heated, generating hydrogen, said Robert Alvarez, senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies and a former official with the Department of Energy. That caught fire, resulting in a situation that is "very, very serious," he told CNN. He said the next step may involve nuclear plant workers taking heroic acts. Asked to be more specific, he said, "This is a situation where people may be called in to sacrifice their lives. ... It's very difficult for me to contemplate that but it's, it may have reached that point."
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#1. To: All (#0)
Holy crap. So with my limited knowledge of nuclear power, it seems as if the now uncovered fuel rods are going to keep heating up, eventually causing an uncontrollable, highly radioactive fire. Am I right?
Since January 3, 2011, Republicans have controlled the power of the purse.
What could these brave people do, lay in water hoses and move the rods to the low spot? The word Kamikaze comes to mind.
I recall a re-run of MASH I saw where this uber right winger named Colonel Flagg... Since January 3, 2011, Republicans have controlled the power of the purse.
#2. To: go65 (#0)
"We (government) need to do a lot less, a lot sooner" ~Ron Paul
Godwinson posted on 2011-02-23 11:47:32 ET
http://libertysflame.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=18011&Disp=46#C46
#3. To: All (#1)
HONG KONG (AFP) – 0050 GMT: Television images have shown a Japanese military helicopter sumping water Thursday from a huge bucket onto the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant. NHK also reports that more helicopters will be sent to douse the plant.
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