#Fukushima Reactor 2 RPV Temperature: 79.1 Degrees Celsius as of Noon, February 12, 2012

(UPDATE: The temperature exceeded 82 degrees Celsius as of 2:20PM February 12, 2012.)

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Mainichi Shinbun (2/12/2012 1:54PM):

東京電力は１２日、福島第１原発２号機の原子炉圧力容器底部にある温度計の一つが、同日正午現在で７９．１度に達したと発表した。昨年１２月の「冷温停止状態」宣言後で最高値。温度計の誤差を考慮し、８０度を超えると「冷温停止状態」の条件を満たさなくなる。東電は温度計の故障もあり得るとする一方、原子炉への注水量を増やす。

TEPCO announced that one of the thermometers at the bottom of Reactor 2 Pressure Vessel at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant was showing 79.1 degrees Celsius as of 12 noon on February 12. It is the highest temperature since the "cold shutdown state" declaration in December 2011. Considering the margin of error, if the temperature exceeds 80 degrees, it would violate the definition of "cold shutdown state". TEPCO thinks the instrument failure is possible, but will increase the amount of water injected into the reactor.

２号機圧力容器下部の温度は２月に入り上昇傾向で、６日午前７時には７３．３度に達した。そのため７日に原子炉への注水量を毎時３立方メートル増の同１３．５立方メートルとし、一時は約６４度まで下がった。しかし再び上昇傾向を示し、１１日午後９時には７３．３度まで上昇。さらに注水量を毎時１立方メートル増やし同１４．６立方メートルにしたが、効果がないため、１２日午後にもさらに毎時約３立方メートル増やす予定。

Temperature at the bottom of the Reactor 2 RPV has been trending up since the beginning of February. It reached 73.3 degrees Celsius at 7AM on February 6. TEPCO increased the amount of water to be injected into the RPV by 3 cubic meters (tonnes)/hour to 13.5 cubic meters/hour on February 7, which lowered the temperature to about 64 degrees Celsius at one time. But the temperature resumed the up-trend, and reached 73.3 degrees Celsius at 9PM on February 11. The company increased the amount of water by 1 cubic meter/hour to 14.6 cubic meters/hour, but so far there hasn't been any effect. The amount will be increased by another 3 cubic meters [to 17.6 cubic meters/hour] in the afternoon.

Other two locations at the bottom of the RPV show the temperatures that continue to go down, in the mid 30s.

Want to bet if TEPCO will say in the evening press conference, "It's instrument failure after all"?

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