Brief Fukushima Update: June 28, 2011

FUKUSHIMA DAIICHI UPDATES:

-TEPCO has begun injecting nitrogen into the dry well of the No. 2 plant. This is being done to eliminate the chances of radiolytic hydrogen accumulating and causing another explosion. Nitrogen injection has been performed at No. 1 plant more or less continuously since April 7 with a total of 54,200 m³ of nitrogen having been injected.

-TEPCO has fixed leaks in the connections between its decontamination system and the feed systems of No. 1, 2 and 3 plants and is now operating reactor cooling injection in RECIRCULATING mode. The flow path of the water is as follows: Water is taken from the Centralized Radioactive Waste Treatment Facility (where it's been, and is being, pumped from turbine buildings and pipe trenches) and pumped to TEPCO's decontamination system (Kurion/AREVA as contractors.) From this system the water is sent through a desalinization system, and is then pumped to a 5000 m³ treated water tank. From this tank water can be sent to any or all of three pumps that provide water, through long hoses and pipes, to the reactor feed systems for core cooling. There are also two 8000 m³ filtrate tanks that can supply water to the system if necessary. At the moment, TEPCO indicates that water is going to the rad waste building from No. 2 and No. 3 plant turbine building basements.

-Injection rates to No. 1 and No. 2 plants are both about 3.5 m³/hr with No. 3 plant's injection rate at about 9.1 m³/hr.

-TEPCO avoided, at its annual shareholder meeting, an attempt by shareholders to force the company to abandon nuclear energy. The measure was voted down.

-TEPCO has, as was reported in some places, now used borated water into No. 3 plant's spent fuel pool at Fukushima Daiichi. This is to correct the pH of the spent fuel pool, since borated water is on site and will accomplish this task to prevent rapid corrosion of the fuel elements in an alkaline environment. The pH of the pools is thought to have been disturbed by concrete debris in the pools.

-A giant crane has been placed on site at Fukushima Daiichi to launch construction of the cover at No. 1 plant's reactor building. (See the APR YouTube Channel for videos about this covering.) Sections are now being assembled at Onahama Port for shipment to Fukushima Daiichi.

3:25 PM Eastern Tuesday June 28, 2011
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