35 tones of refueling machine on fuel storage rack in reactor 3

35 tones of refueling machine was found dropped over the fuel storage rack in reactor3, Tepco announced in their press conference of 4/13/2012.

They assume it dropped when reactor 3 had the explosion.

They watched it with a remote controlling camera operated by earthquake-resisting control room.

Tepco only published 4 pictures, which are too dark and not clear for today.

The 35 tones of refueling machine is planned to be taken out in the end of 2014.

According to Tepco, the size of pool is 12.2×9.9×11.8m, the machine is 14m. There are 514 assemblies of spent fuel and 52 of new fuel in the pool. (566 assemblies in total)

When it dropped, it damaged the pool as well. From the analysis result of water in the pool, Tepco assumes the fuel is not severely damaged.
They still haven’t checked if the machine lies on the bottom of the pool.

35 tones of refueling machine on fuel storage rack in reactor 3

 

35 tones of refueling machine on fuel storage rack in reactor 3 3

 

 

About this site

This website updates the latest news about the Fukushima nuclear plant and also archives the past news from 2011. Because it's always updated and added live, articles, categories and the tags are not necessarily fitted in the latest format.
I am the writer of this website. About page remains in 2014. This is because my memory about 311 was clearer than now, 2023, and I think it can have a historical value. Now I'm living in Romania with 3 cats as an independent data scientist.
Actually, nothing has progressed in the plant since 2011. We still don't even know what is going on inside. They must keep cooling the crippled reactors by water, but additionally groundwater keeps flowing into the reactor buildings from the broken parts. This is why highly contaminated water is always produced more than it can circulate. Tepco is planning to officially discharge this water to the Pacific but Tritium is still remaining in it. They dilute this with seawater so that it is legally safe, but scientifically the same amount of radioactive tritium is contained. They say it is safe to discharge, but none of them have drunk it.

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