WSJ: Troubling questions raised by thermometer at No. 2 — No wonder things are breaking down at Fukushima after meltdowns, explosions, tsunami, quake (saltwater and boric acid, too)

Published: February 15th, 2012 at 12:00 am ET
By ENENews
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Title: Faulty Thermometer Behind Temperature Rise at Fukushima Daiichi
Source: Wall Street Journal
Author: Phred Dvorak
Date: February 15, 2012, 10:59 AM JST

[...] a faulty thermometer at No. 2 raises troubling questions. With all the punishment Fukushima Daiichi’s equipment has gone through –- nuclear meltdowns and explosions, not to mention the magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami that started everything off – it’s no wonder things are breaking down. 

But radiation levels are still so high around many of the reactors that the equipment can barely be checked, let alone replaced. [...]

Tepco says it usually checks up on, and adjusts, such gauges every 13 months at routine inspections. But those won’t be possible at Fukushima Daiichi, where experts expect it’ll take six years just to plug leaks in the reactor buildings and 10 years before people can start the process of removing melted fuel. [...]

Read the report here

Published: February 15th, 2012 at 12:00 am ET
By ENENews
Email Article Email Article
41 comments





Related Posts

  1. Bloomberg: Tepco injects boric acid to prevent criticality at Reactor No. 2 February 6, 2012
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  3. 82°C at Reactor No. 2 — Keeps rising even after injection of more water — Tepco “set to dump in boric acid” February 12, 2012
  4. ALERT: “Fission restarted” at Fukushima Reactor No. 2 — Jiji, NHK report detection of Xenon-135 — TEPCO now injecting boric acid November 1, 2011
  5. Nuclear Industry Website: Recriticality test detects “very low traces” of fission products at Reactor No. 2 — Tepco then injected boric acid as a precaution against chain reactions February 7, 2012

41 comments to WSJ: Troubling questions raised by thermometer at No. 2 — No wonder things are breaking down at Fukushima after meltdowns, explosions, tsunami, quake (saltwater and boric acid, too)

  • MaidenHeaven MaidenHeaven

    "experts expect it’ll take six years just to plug leaks in the reactor buildings and 10 years before people can start the process of removing melted fuel."

    That sums it up right there. There simply isn't anything they can do but try to keep pouring water…for 10 years?!?

    Found this, look at picture 6, snow covered ground, more doubt that we are seeing current videos at the reactors. Or is it too hot?

    http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2012/02/15/picture-japan-ice-blessing-valentines-sweets-recycling-debris/

    Also note image #4 & look at what those workers are wearing, hardly enough protection to be handling that debris. And they are going to recycle it~!!!~ I want to scream at them & tell them to LEAVE..sigh.. More walking dead.

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  • truthsetufree truthsetufree

    May be the site is too hot and the snow just melts away.

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  • PoorDaddy PoorDaddy

    Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the WSJ is at least mentioning Fukushima, but damn near anybody that has spent more than an hour on Enenews for the last 11 months knows more about this disaster than these guys do. They are still just reading press releases. WHERE ARE THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS? Woodward? Moyers? Anybody out there?

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  • MaidenHeaven MaidenHeaven

    Writing in the New York Times, world expert on the health effects of radiation, Dr Helen Caldicott, explains how the nuclear industry has been able to continue on, despite the massive risks the industry obviously entails, and the damage and loss of life it has actually caused in Fukushima, Chernobyl and elsewhere:

    "The nuclear power industry has been resurrected over the past decade by a lobbying campaign that has left many people believing it to be a clean, green, emission-free alternative to fossil fuels. These beliefs pose an extraordinary threat to global public health and encourage a major financial drain on national economies and taxpayers. The commitment to nuclear power as an environmentally safe energy source has also stifled the mass development of alternative technologies that are far cheaper, safer and almost emission free — the future for global energy."
    "When the Fukushima Daiichi reactors suffered meltdowns in March, literally in the backyard of an unsuspecting public, the stark reality that the risks of nuclear power far outweigh any benefits should have become clear to the world. As the old quip states, “Nuclear power is one hell of a way to boil water.”

    "Instead, the nuclear industry has used the disaster to increase its already extensive lobbying efforts. A few nations vowed to phase out nuclear energy after the disaster. But many others have remained steadfast in their commitment. That has left millions of innocent people unaware that they — all of us — may face a medical catastrophe beyond all proportions in the wake of Fukushima and through the continued widespread use of nuclear energy."

    http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/health/despite-continuing-disaster-at-fukushima-us-approves-new-nuclear-reactors/

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    • rooks rooks

      You know what she says is correct but it is not the direction the global elite intend to move on. She literally is telling the truth when the world is in chaos.

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      • CaptD CaptD

        I agree!
        Seen this: http://is.gd/Yk2ITV
        and
        In his article, "Childhood Leukemia Spikes Near Nuclear Power Plants" by John LaForge http://is.gd/7FlPx4 he points out that "French researchers have confirmed that childhood leukemia rates are shockingly elevated among children living near nuclear power reactors. Closer to San Diego, Joseph Mangano MPH MBA and Janette Sherman MD have now agreed to do a similar study about California reactors. It which should be done in early March, once funding is finalized. As of January 31, 2012 it’s Proposed title is:

        ENVIRONMENTAL RADIATION RELEASES FROM CALIFORNIA NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AND POTENTIAL HEALTH HAZARDS

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  • MaidenHeaven MaidenHeaven

    Something positive:

    "In response to the Fukushima nuclear meltdown, Japanese Catholic bishops issue a joint statement condemning nuclear power and urging the closure of all Japanese nuclear power stations."

    Abolish Nuclear Plants Immediately

    "In the message “Reverence for Life”, we, Japanese bishops could not go so far as to urge the immediate abolishment of nuclear plants. However, after facing the tragic nuclear disaster in Fukushima, we regretted and reconsidered such attitude. And now, we would like to call for the immediate abolishment of all the power plants in Japan."

    http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/health/japanese-bishops-urge-end-to-nuclear-power/

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  • Alice Alice

    Oh brother! **hits head on keyboard.

    The whole nuclear BS is faulty. The human brain wiring is faulty.

    Get past that ill-logic (emphasis on 'ill') and maybe, just maybe, we might regain some semblance of sanity.

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  • Cindy

    More people are waking up !! Good, we all can work harder to get the word out …

    People who I talk to about Fukushima, have never even heard of it , or need reminding … Many think it is only a problem for Japan. It is really shocking that so many people are unaware . The whole thing is sad …

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  • BreadAndButter BreadAndButter

    New Quake near Fuku coast…sorry if someone already posted!
    http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/20120215153317391-151528.html

    *morning anyway

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  • Bleifrei Bleifrei

    10 j for go inside?( i think more)
    10 j watercooling all days 80-120t( 80000l-120000l)/day
    half JP must buillt wastetanks in ten j.
    how many =????? ///wide range of Watertanks .jp are to small!!
    and they make more and more waste..
    or in the Pazific…..for them self and the frindly neighbors around the pazific ….Madness³³
    it cant go on this way ,why the dont do the right ?
    why they dont rescue the Nukes and empty the pools and bring them to a sure place? they go a way without since and brain…brainless.
    only one answer is .it is to late and they only need time to sure and rescue themself and the Bucks( $).
    hehe
    so soon i will take my pumpgun and shoot them a salute for die and say Good bye JP i will remember you

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  • Whoopie Whoopie

    Morning
    Could Fukushima Daiichi Be Ground Zero for the Next Big One? – WSJ (blog) http://j.mp/xJABdR
    According to the scientists, the fluids threaten to swim up toward fault zones, where they can soak into the brittle crust of the earth along the fault line, reducing friction, pulling the fault lines apart and triggering another large earthquake.

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  • aigeezer aigeezer

    "The news prompted a collective sigh of relief that the steadily rising temperatures the thermometer had been logging weren’t a sign that the damaged reactor was once more spinning out of control."

    This WSJ piece helps reify Tepco's spin that everything is still in cold shutdown. The "news" is just Tepco's self-serving opinion that the temperature gauge was defective – unverified and unverifiable unless/until more dire events unfold.

    Speaking of spin, the phrase "damaged reactor was once more spinning out of control" is really loaded: a "reactor" still exists (rather than one of several unapproachable leaky radioactive vessels); it is damaged (perhaps a fender bender?); it spun out of control in the past but was brought back under control (hah!), and of course the inexcusable notion that it is somehow under control now – we are invited to imagine trained technicians in an immaculate control room pushing buttons and pulling levers to keep that clean, green, reliable nuke power humming – and if it should "spin out of control" again, no doubt the gallant technicians would bring it back under control as they always do.

    Wishful thinking? Denial? Propaganda? Truth?… time will tell.

    I don't think the mood here at Enenews has been "a collective sigh of relief", rather it's more a wary "what are they up to now?" or "what will today bring?" or "this can't go on without a major new catastrophe".

    In some sense I agree with the piece. The "reactor" is indeed out of control of their spin. The public, not so much… yet.

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    • CaptD CaptD

      We are now are being ruled by those in Nuclear Denial*; instead of by Leaders that demand an end to the Trillion Dollar Eco-Disast­er RISK that Nuclear poses to mankind! The nuclear industry is fighting tooth and nail to maintain it's market share; yet NOW Solar (of all flavors) is far less costly to construct, faster to construct and carries with it N☢ Nuclear radioactiv­e baggage that can kill a Countries economy and or those living nearby!
      Ask The Japanese!

      *Nuclear Denial
      http://is.­gd/XPjMd0
      The illogical belief that Nature cannot destroy any land based nuclear reactor, any place anytime 24/7/365!

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  • CaptD CaptD

    Yet another MSM "FLUFF" piece about what is really happening in Fukushima!

    Think about it, any shaking or Earth movement will cause the 3 “missing corium(s) to restart what I call “The Fuky Effect” and I expect to see increased signs of radiation in Northern Japan as well as additional temperatur­e spikes “in temperatur­e gauges that are not reading properly” at Fukushima!

    These EQ's will not help the rumbling Volcano in Southern Japan either…

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  • CaptD CaptD

    More excuses instead of solutions!

    Yet more "fluff" background info to hide the real news worthy event, which is the Corium(s) and their interaction with the ground water below the complex…

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