Updates for Fukushima Daiichi, Daini Nuclear Power Stations

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources East Asia (Kofu-shi, Japan)--As of 7:00 a.m. JST Monday, March 14, several changes had taken place at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station, which is owned and operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company Incorporated (TYO:9501) (TEPCO) (Tokyo, Japan). At 3:00 a.m. JST, TEPCO began a cooling strategy at Unit 3 by introducing fresh water into the reactor housing. This caused a severe spike in pressure, and all personnel were forced to evacuate. Pressure gradually resumed its former high level and personnel were allowed to re-enter the complex. TEPCO resumed cooling attempts afterward. The high pressure within the reactor housing is currently preventing the cooling system from working effectively.

At 11:01 a.m., two consecutive hydrogen explosions occurred at Unit 3. TEPCO and Fukushima prefectural authorities determined that the reactor vessel had not been compromised, and any released material was moving north, away from land.

Unit 3 is one of several reactors in Japan that is currently using mixed oxide fuel, or MOX, which is part of a program to recycle used nuclear fuel. At this time, TEPCO cannot determine whether the MOX fuel is associated with the inability to control pressure and cooling at Unit 3.

As of 11:00 a.m. JST Monday, March 14, no significant changes had taken place at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1. The reactor housing was lost in Saturday's hydrogen explosion, and attempts at reducing pressure are ongoing.

At Fukushima Daini Unit 1, TEPCO had successfully replaced the motor for the cooling system's pump and began the introduction of seawater into the reactor housing as of 1:24 a.m. JST Monday, March 14. TEPCO has also successfully restored Unit 2's cooling system, and if everything progresses according to plan, Unit 2 will reach temperature stability by the end of Monday.

On Saturday, at 11:00 p.m. JST, radiation levels spiked at Onagawa nuclear power station, which is owned and operated by Tohoku Electric Power Company Incorporated (TYO:9506 ) (Tokuden) (Sendai, Japan). Onagawa, which has an operating capacity of 2,174 megawatts, had shut down safely following Friday's earthquake, and Tokuden authorities determined that the radiation, measured at 21 micro Sieverts, did not originate at Onagawa. Tokuden believes that the radiation originated from Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1, following the hydrogen explosion at the unit on Saturday.

All reactors at Fukushima Daiichi, Fukushima Daini, and Onagawa are light water boiling water reactors.

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