Cleanup at Japan nuke plant halted
Source: Agencies |
June 19, 2011, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A rise in radiation halted the cleanup of radioactive water at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power station yesterday hours after it got under way, a fresh setback to efforts to restore control over the quake-stricken plant.
The power plant has been leaking radiation into the atmosphere ever since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and both China and South Korea have expressed concern over the possibility of further leaks into the sea.
Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, said it expected to resume the cleanup within a week.
The plan hit a new hurdle as Japan marked 100 days since the quake and tsunami left nearly 24,000 dead or missing and knocked out cooling systems at the plant. Buddhist memorial services were held throughout the country on the day when the bereaved traditionally seek closure from grief.
A statement issued by the utility, known as TEPCO, said the suspension was prompted by a faster than expected rise in radiation in a part of the system intended to absorb caesium. "At the moment, we haven't specified the reason," a spokesman said. "So we can't say when we can resume the operation. But I'd say it's not something that would take weeks."
The official said teams working at the plant believed the radiation rise could be linked either to sludge flowing into the machinery absorbing caesium or a monitoring error caused by nearby pipes carrying contaminated water.
But a resumption, he said, was critical to deal with the highly radioactive water. Officials say 110,000 tons of water is stored at the plant.
"Unless we can resume the operation within a week, we will have problems in disposing of the bad water."
The power plant has been leaking radiation into the atmosphere ever since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and both China and South Korea have expressed concern over the possibility of further leaks into the sea.
Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, said it expected to resume the cleanup within a week.
The plan hit a new hurdle as Japan marked 100 days since the quake and tsunami left nearly 24,000 dead or missing and knocked out cooling systems at the plant. Buddhist memorial services were held throughout the country on the day when the bereaved traditionally seek closure from grief.
A statement issued by the utility, known as TEPCO, said the suspension was prompted by a faster than expected rise in radiation in a part of the system intended to absorb caesium. "At the moment, we haven't specified the reason," a spokesman said. "So we can't say when we can resume the operation. But I'd say it's not something that would take weeks."
The official said teams working at the plant believed the radiation rise could be linked either to sludge flowing into the machinery absorbing caesium or a monitoring error caused by nearby pipes carrying contaminated water.
But a resumption, he said, was critical to deal with the highly radioactive water. Officials say 110,000 tons of water is stored at the plant.
"Unless we can resume the operation within a week, we will have problems in disposing of the bad water."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
