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March 17, 2011 | 3
Breaking news continues to focus on the six compromised reactors at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex. But authorities have shut down eight other reactors in the region that were affected by last week's earthquake. Forty more units continue to operate across the nation. The map above, released by the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum, shows the status of every reactor as of March 17.
The industrial forum is now releasing detailed updates about the crippled reactors once or twice a day.
—Mark Fischetti
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3 Comments
Add CommentSo, one site was seriously damaged by the Tsunami. 3 other sites had some damage from the earthquake, but were able to shut down safely. That's 6 reactors at the one site, and 8 reactors at the other three sites. the rest are running fine. But, take out 14 of 56, and power is tight.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt will be hard to fix everything. Right now, the storage tanks where the "waste" is held are exposed. At least most of the waste is just steel and similar metals. If they can keep it cool, there won't be a great deal of material escaping.
It will be a big project to button this up. To really do the job, they will need have some kind of reprocessing on site. We could learn a lot by watching this and seeing what happens.
It is a dismal reflection on the response ability of the nuclear industry that from it's inception in weaponry and it's progression into nuclear energy production has failed for more than 60 years to develop an economically feasible technology for the clean up of huge swaths of soil and large bodies of water contaminated with radioactive fallout from the process of nuclear fission. World wide we have thousands of tons of nuclear waste being stored in decaying containers that continue to emit high levels of Gamma radiation. When these vessels become compromised their Alpha and Beta emissions further pollute our environment for generations to come.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTo date, in each nuclear accident it is human beings that continue to be the sole line of defense to prevent or containe a catastrophic nuclear event resulting from "unforseen" consequences. Yet with impunity and hubris this industry continues to seek the expansion of nuclear technology and energy production. If you don't have what is needed to clean up the mess that is born of error or negligence or natural catastrophy you have no business in spreading a technology whose damage you have outdated and absolutely minimal means to contain.
QUOTE:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf you don't have what is needed to clean up the mess that is born of error or negligence or natural catastrophy you have no business in spreading a technology whose damage you have outdated and absolutely minimal means to contain.
/QUOTE
The same could, and should, be said of any technology, such as automobiles.