information about Fukushima published in English in Japanese media info publiée en anglais dans la presse japonaise
13 Décembre 2013
December 13, 2013
New findings on Fukushima accident to be released
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/news/20131213_22.html
Tokyo Electric Power Company says the early breakdown of a reactor cooling system, coupled with failed attempts to inject water into the reactor, led to the meltdown of the number 3 reactor after the March 2011 quake and tsunami.
The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is still verifying the details of the accident in March 2011.
The latest findings are the follow-up to a study whose findings were made public in June 2012.
The previous study found that a meltdown began at the plant's Number 3 reactor at about 10:40 AM on March 13th, 2011 -- 2 days after the quake and tsunami.
The latest findings include analysis of how the meltdown started.
TEPCO says the readings of the reactor's water gauge early that morning suggested that the water levels inside the reactor were low enough to expose part of the fuel above the water's surface.
This indicates that the functions of the emergency cooling system had already been lost.
It also says water injections by fire engines started shortly after 9 AM on March 13, but they could have been ineffective because of leaks from the piping.
TEPCO plans to disclose the findings to the public later on Friday. The utility says it will continue its investigation to find out why massive amounts of radioactive substances were released and how this happened.
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