CNBC reporting that power line at nuke plant is almost ready

Some good news via twitter for the cooling problems

CNBC‎ Japan electric company says new power line that could solve nuclear crisis is almost ready - AP
Twitter -
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4 minutes ago

U.S. NRC chairman says spent fuel pool at Japan's reactor 4 has no water, radiation levels are "extremely high"

Reuters‎ FLASH: U.S. NRC chairman says spent fuel pool at Japan's reactor 4 has no water, radiation levels are "extremely high"

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2011/03/nuclear-crisis-radioactive-fue.html

Nuclear crisis: 'Chain reaction could restart'
18:20 16 March 2011
Environment
1820 GMT, 16 March 2011

Michael Marshall, environment reporter

The situation at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has become extremely unnerving. The Tokyo Electric Power Company has now admitted that the spent fuel rods could go critical - that is, a nuclear chain reaction could restart.

We have known since yesterday that the reactors themselves were coming under control, and that the biggest threat came from the spent fuel ponds, where the water level has fallen and temperatures have risen. That could lead to the stored fuel rods breaking open, releasing their radioactive contents.

The nuclear chain reaction, that is.

A fire that would jet very large amounts of radioactivity is possible and would be a truly terrible and life-threatening situation.

But a chain reaction with spent fuel rods that are not encased? I'm not a physicist, but I'll believe that when I see Mothra appear. I suspect that this is a translation error.

http://atomicpowerreview.blogspot.com/

For sure it's not a nuclear reaction event.

Chain reaction might be a different ballgame however.

The main talk has been a steam explosion that would put material in the upper atmosphere and effect a very wide area.

"The main talk has been a steam explosion that would put material in the upper atmosphere and effect a very wide area."

What I was thinking was that this was described as "crucial" situation which got translated into "criticality". But that word has a specific meaning in this context that I don't think was meant.

If they mean heat build up to the point of an explosion/fire, it appears that keeps happening.

Hurray!

Note they put out the news before it went on line. Hope is critical, they have to keep going.

Actually, yes, this is very good news.

he better not come home looking like that!!

in many of these units. The reactor buildings are a melted mess inside and out. I still worry most about Reactor #3 that has the MOX (plutonium) rods and #4 that has the reactor rods stored in a galley above the reactor core.

It may, however, make some difference with the spent fuel rods in the boiling storage pool in the builing behind #3.

RT @zerohedge: Japan Nuclear Agency says still not clear why radiation levels jumped near No. 3 reactor .

Oh really.......

Like you, not to sure about the impact it will have on the other damaged reactors.

This sounds like a good start to getting this under control.

reactors?

It's one of those, WTF where they thinking?

Not as if there's really a necessary reason for that safety vulnerability. Do nuclear submarines need to be hooked up to electric generator wires or ships with diesel generators on the surface to cool their reactors? I don't think so.

The line could help bring things better under control.

They might be able to bring the really big pumps online and quench those reactors and spent fuel rods.

Cross your fingers.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704396504576204461929992144.html

It appears that the diesels weren't damaged per se but that the fuel tanks were washed away in the tsunami.

But this is good news.

However, this has been a nuclear disaster, not a nuclear "crisis."

Hopefully it will be SOON

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110316/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_earthquake

3:49am
The Tokyo Electric Power company says "a new power line that could solve the nuclear crisis is almost ready".

We'll keep you posted.

3:25am
The "US nuclear chair" is being quoted by the AFP news agency as saying there is now "no water at the Fukushima reactor No.4", and radiation levels are "extremely high".

Read below for why this is a bad thing.

We'll bring you more details as they emerge...

3:14am
The US military has delivered high-pressure water pumps to Japan to help cool Fukushima's crisis-hit nuclear power plant.

The pumps were ferried to Yokota Air Force Base for use at the crippled Fukushima plant, with four additional pumps delivered from Sasebo, in Japan's southwest, the US Pacific Fleet said in a statement.

Rising temperatures caused by damage to the cooling system pumps during Friday's earthquake are cauding the water in the reactor cores to turn to steam, increasing pressure, and exposing the fuel rods.

When the fuel rods become even partly exposed, the temperature increases rapidly, turning more of the water to steam, and increasing pressure even more quickly. When the rods come into contact with steam, rather than water, hydrogen is produced.

With large amounts of hydrogen held in a container whose heat and pressure is increasing rapidly, there is a risk of an explosion, which may damage the containment vessel and allow nuclear fuel to leak out, spreading large amounts of radiation.

The high-pressure pumps are used to re-fill the reactor cores as the water level begins to drop, replacing the water at a speed which cools both the rods and the chamber, reducing pressure and averting the potential for a meltdown.

3:07am
As foreigners are urged by their governments to consider leaving Tokyo, many Japanese residents are not taking any chances and have started rushing out of the capital.

Concern is growing in the capital that radiation leaking from the Fukushima plant, about 270km away, will spread. Many have begun hoarding supplies of basic necessities, in case they need to spend long periods indoors.