Bad start

October 28, 2014

Wind gust damages cover at Fukushima reactor

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20141028_20.html

Oct. 28, 2014 - Updated 06:08 UTC+1

The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says the cover of a building housing the No.1 rector has been damaged.

Tokyo Electric Power Company says a strong gust of wind moved a machine at around 8:30 AM Tuesday, creating a triangular shaped hole about 1 meter wide and 2 meters long.

TEPCO has been using machinery suspended from a crane to spray chemicals into holes. This is to prevent the dispersal of radioactive dust when dismantling the cover.

The operator says no significant changes in radiation levels were seen at the compound, but work has been suspended.

Officials say the wind speed at the time was about 7 kilometers per hour, which is well below the 36-kilometer-per-hour standard required to suspend work. They say a sudden gust may have moved the machinery.

TEPCO has notified the central and local governments and is considering what steps to take. Officials say they don't know when work can resume, or whether this problem will affect Thursday's plan to remove part of the cover on a trial basis.