TEPCO Continues Moving Irradiated Water, Assembles Emergency Equipment

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources Japan (Kofu-shi, Japan)--On April 11, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake, thought to be an aftershock of the 9.0 earthquake that rocked Japan a month prior, struck off the coast of Fukushima prefecture. Restoration work at Tokyo Electric Power Company Incorporated's (TYO: 9501) (TEPCO) (Tokyo) Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station was temporarily halted after a tsunami warning was raised, resulting in a significant period of time in which the reactors went without cooling. In response, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) has announced plans to prevent damage that could be caused by further aftershocks and associated tsunamis.

One of the numerous problems at Fukushima Daiichi is the loss of external power. Power loss was further exacerbated by the failure of on-site emergency generators after the tsunami struck the plant. To prevent this from recurring while cooling efforts continue at Fukushima Daiichi, METI plans to secure two power lines each for units 1, 2, 3 and 4. The plant's owner, TEPCO, will supply power to units 1 and 2, while Tohoku Electric Power Company Incorporated (TYO: 9506) (Tokuden) (Sendai, Japan) will supply power to units 3 and 4. Completion is expected by April 19.

In addition, emergency generators and three water injection pumps are being prepared, should another tsunami strike the station. In order to protect this equipment, it will be transported to sites 20 to 30 meters above sea level on April 15.

For the present, TEPCO is continuing its efforts to stabilize the four affected reactors at Fukushima Daiichi. In order to prevent hydrogen explosions, the utility company is continuously injecting nitrogen gas into the reactor of Unit 1. TEPCO is also carrying out an inspection to check for possible leaks at the on-site wastewater treatment facility, which is the prime candidate for temporary storage of the highly irradiated water in the basements of units 1 through 3. As of the evening of April 13, 660 tons of water had been pumped out of the basement of Unit 2 and into the unit's condenser, lowering the water level by 6 centimeters. However, upon inspection on the morning of April 14, the water level was found to have risen again. The cause for the continued rise in water levels is uncertain, however it is speculated that the water is from cooling efforts. TEPCO is currently investigating other storage locations for approximately 60,000 tons of water in units 1, 2 and 3.

On April 12, temperatures in the spent fuel pool of Unit 4 were measured at 90 degrees Celsius. Iodine isotopes were detected around the pool, and METI has stated that it is impossible to determine whether or not the fuel rods have fused. The cause for this rise in temperature has been attributed to insufficient water levels due to problems with detection equipment designed to monitor water levels within the spent fuel pool.

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