Workers Entered Fukushima II (Daini) Reactor 4

While the attention is on Fukushima I, TEPCO has been quietly working on Fukushima II Nuclear Power Plant located in Naraha-machi and Tomioka-machi.

On August 29, workers entered the Containment Vessel of Reactor 4 at Fukushima II for the first time since March 11. No details of the work inside the Containment Vessel have been released by TEPCO yet.

From NHK News (8/29/2011):

東京電力福島第一原子力発電所とともに事故を起こした、福島第二原発では、２９日午前中から、４号機の原子炉を覆う格納容器の中に作業員が入り、内部が破損しているかや、放射線の量を調べています。

Workers entered the Containment Vessel of Reactor 4 at Fukushima II Nuclear Power Plant to check the damages if any and measure radiation levels.

福島第一原発と第二原発で、事故のあと、格納容器に人が入るのは初めてです。

It is the first time after the accident that anyone entered the Containment Vessel of any reactor at either Fukushima I or Fukushima II.

福島第二原発は、３月１１日の地震で４つの原子炉がすべて自動停止したあと、４号機を含む３つの原子炉では、海水を使って原子炉を冷やす設備の一部が津波によって壊れ、十分に冷やすことができなくなりました。

At Fukushima II, after the automatic shutdown of all 4 reactors after the March 11 earthquake, part of the cooling systems that use seawater to cool the reactors was broken by the tsunami in three of the reactors including Reactor 4, and the reactors were not cooled sufficiently.

このうち、４号機の原子炉は、外部電源を使った冷却によって、地震の４日後に１００度以下の冷温停止状態となり、東京電力はその後も原子炉の状態が安定しているとして、２９日午前１０時すぎから、およそ１０人の作業員が原子炉を覆う格納容器の中に入り、内部の調査をしています。

Reactor 4 was brought to a cold shutdown 4 days after the quake using the cooling system with external power supply. TEPCO determined that the condition of the reactor was stable, and sent about 10 workers inside the Containment Vessel to conduct the survey of the inside.

福島第二原発の４号機は、原子炉の圧力が一時高くなるなどしており、東京電力は設備が壊れているかを調べるとともに、内部の放射線量や温度などを測定するということです。

The reactor pressure rose temporarily in Reactor 4 after the quake. TEPCO is going to check for damages as well as measure the radiation levels and temperature inside.

福島第一原発と第二原発で、事故のあと、格納容器に人が入るのは初めてで、東京電力は、２９日の調査で得られた結果を基に、今後内部で作業をするために必要な装備などを検討していくということです。

It is the first time since the accident that anyone entered the Containment Vessel in Fukushima I or Fukushima II. TEPCO says it will decide on the necessary work to be done inside the Containment Vessel, once it gets the result of the survey on August 29.

TEPCO is not just working on the Containment Vessel at Fukushima II by the way. It's been working on the heat exchanger for Reactor 4 also, as evidenced by TEPCO's announcement that one worker from a TEPCO affiliate company fell ill due to excess heat in the heat exchanger building while he was re-routing the temporary cable.

What is TEPCO up to? Restart Fukushima II? That's what the mayor of Naraha-machi wants TEPCO to do.

I also wonder whatever happened to the 3000 tonnes of contaminated water in the basement of the plant.

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