Seen on a video update this morning, it now seems the replacement power cables were not sorted in time, they are now asking for help from other countries.

Given the scale of the problem and its potential to get real bad why couldn't they have just air lifted some generators in to power the coolant pumps? rather than trying to connect to the grid which is taking ages.

I thought they had generators/diesel powered pumps but the problem was fuel? nevertheless I agree that would seem like a better use of the chinooks than the water bombing, airlift in some generators and/or fuel supplies and get the power going again.

Quote from: Mongoose on March 18, 2011, 09:58:54 AM
I thought they had generators/diesel powered pumps but the problem was fuel? nevertheless I agree that would seem like a better use of the chinooks than the water bombing, airlift in some generators and/or fuel supplies and get the power going again.

It is my understanding that the pumps were electrically powered and due to damaged power lines, they were on the case of getting replacement electrical lines sorted, i think the issue with using fuel powered generators is that there was a lack of fuel nationwide due to the petrolchemical plants being cut off due to the Tsunami and Earthquake, but i would suggest it was rather more important to power those generators.

I was just reading up about 3 mile island.. it doesnt seem quite as serious as that at the moment.

I'm not so sure, I think Fukushima is about even with TMI at the moment on the basis that it may or may not be quite as serious on a per-reactor basis, but 4 units are now involved with core meltdowns probable in 3 of them and a possible cooling pond meltdown at the 4th. It's still the cooling pond that scares me the most because it's open to atmosphere. If something goes wrong in there it's very bad, very quickly. Whoever decided the best place for the spent fuel cooling pond was the top floor of the reactor building needs their head examining

Quote from: Bacon on March 18, 2011, 13:05:09 PM

Quote from: Mongoose on March 18, 2011, 09:58:54 AM
I thought they had generators/diesel powered pumps but the problem was fuel? nevertheless I agree that would seem like a better use of the chinooks than the water bombing, airlift in some generators and/or fuel supplies and get the power going again.

It is my understanding that the pumps were electrically powered and due to damaged power lines, they were on the case of getting replacement electrical lines sorted, i think the issue with using fuel powered generators is that there was a lack of fuel nationwide due to the petrolchemical plants being cut off due to the Tsunami and Earthquake, but i would suggest it was rather more important to power those generators.

The diesels started and ran for 1 hr but then stopped maybe because of the tsunami (I would think they have diesel for more than one hour in the tanks ? )

They have managed to get plasma in this plant for a few seconds, I hope there research will lead to good fusion plants.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KSTAR

Quote from: bear on March 18, 2011, 14:38:19 PM
The diesels started and ran for 1 hr but then stopped maybe because of the tsunami (I would think they have diesel for more than one hour in the tanks ? )

I'll go with sea water swamped the generators, water in the inlets, hydrolocking and killing the engines.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1367684/Nuclear-plant-chief-weeps-Japanese-finally-admit-radiation-leak-kill-people.html

it wasn't sounding too bad before.... sounds like they haven't been giving out the hole story to the press so far...

oh of course.. the daily wail..

I know what you mean..... but it can;t be a good sign when the guy in charge of the plant cries like a little girl on the way out of a conference...

Quite a stressful job id say

BBC says they've found radioactive iodine in the tap water in Tokyo. That can't be good, though presumably in very small amounts or they'd really be panicing. This is definitely a level 5 now, it's Windscale fire level in many ways.

A bit of history and more.

http://www.rense.com/general93/naga.htm