Water dumped to Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear reactor in Japan
On Thursday the Japanese military helicopters dumped water onto the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant’s damaged reactors. It wasn’t initially clear whether or not the water drops succeeded in cooling down the reactors, the first line of defense in preventing a full-scale nuclear meltdown.
U.S. authorized the first evacuations of Americans out of the country.
Kyodo News reported, Tokyo Electric Power Co., which operates the facility, said radiation levels had remained the same since the operations were completed.
A nearly completed new power line could also restore electric cooling systems in the facility that was damaged after last week’s 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami.
But TEPCO spokesman Naoki Tsunoda did not specify when the project would be finished. The line would allow the company to maintain a steady water supply to troubled reactors and spent fuel storage ponds.
The situation at Fukushima Dai-ichi getting worst, as officials and TEPCO disagree on whether or not there is any water left in the spent fuel pools at the plant. Without water, there’s nothing to stop the fuel rods from getting hotter and ultimately melting down.
NRC Chairman Gregory Jaczko said at a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing,”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.”
