Hose caused radioactivity leak

NUCLEAR WATCH

Jun. 2, 2015

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/nuclearwatch/20150602.html

Hose Caused Radioactivity Leak

Officials at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant have supplied more details about a leak of highly radioactive water that was discovered last week. They say a hose that caused the leak was left unchecked even though there were concerns about its durability.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) workers discovered the problem on Friday. They estimate that as much as 15 tons of water seeped into a drainage channel and then leaked into the port that is managed by the plant.

When workers tested water samples from the port, they found the highest level of radioactivity since monitoring began 2 years ago.

Company officials say the crack in the hose was caused by stress from excessive bending. Concerns about durability had led them to replace similar equipment in other parts of the plant.

TEPCO will now accelerate replacement work. Officials are also compiling a manual to ensure proper checks are carried out when the hoses are in use.