Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Mounting Troubles Could Shut Down Japan Reactors For Months, Even Years?

As the investigations at Tokyo Electric Power widen, it is becoming very obvious that Japan just ducked a nuclear Holocaust in the aftermath of Monday's Earthquake. The originally filed false report of just a transformer fire is now an ever growing list of serious issues at the largest nuclear facility in the world, and one has to wonder if all seven reactors should be permenantly shutdown in light of this earthquake. Problems now on the list include the following.
Huge fire at an electrical transformer facility took over two hours to bring under control, and only an act of God kept it from spreading.
At least 1,200 liters of radioactively contaminated water spewed into sea, with the effects to fish and aquatic life not really known. Look for Homer Simpson's three eyed fish in the coming days and months.
No less than 100 barrels of radioactive waste were brutally knocked over in storage facility, with thousands of barrels yet to be fully investigated.
Major duct thrown out of place in major vent; resulting in a horridly dangerous leak of radioactive cobalt-60 and chromium-51 from five of the plant's reactors. Imagine not one, but FIVE reactors spewing cobalt-60 and chromium into the atmosphere, yet it was TWELVE HOURS before the public was informed!

Water leaks inside buildings housing all seven reactors, with no accurate measure of how much liquid has been released.

Significant malfunctioning and blockage of water intake screening pumps at two reactors, which could have potentially led to core meltdowns in a worse case scenario.

Blowout panel visciously ripped down at turbine buildings at two reactors.

Significant oil leak from low-activation transformer waste oil pipes at two reactors.

Loss in water-tight seal at reactor core cooling system-this could be indicative of significant damage, as reactor(s) shifted off original locations.

Major water leaks from diesel generator facility, burst and destroyed extinguisher pipe, burst condenser valve and filtration tank.

Seriously broken connections and horribly broken bolt at electric transformer.

Total and complete loss of power at control center for liquid waste disposal facility.

Significant and troublesome oil leaks from damaged transformer and magnetic transformer facility.

Numerous oil leaks at reactor water supply pump facility.

Disrupted electrical connection at magnetic transformer facility.

Structurally significant cracks in embankment of water intake facility.

Numerous air and oil leaks at switching stations.

Huge amounts of land under most parts of plant turned to mud in quake-caused process known as liquefaction which could lead to significantly settling of important infrastructure of the plant in the coming months, which in turn could compromise structural stability and reliability of foundational structures.

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