Dog Eaters

Lest we forget that end of the world is approaching…

Posted on 05.01.12 8:40PM under Tohoku earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster

460 tons of nuclear fuel are stored in pool in a barely intact building on its third and fourth floors. If the storage pool breaks and runs dry, the nuclear fuel inside will overheat and explode. The worst-case scenario drawn up by the government includes not only the collapse of the No. 4 reactor pool, but also the disintegration of spent-fuel rods from all the plant’s other reactors.

This is the wall of the south side of reactor No. 4

The spent fuel rods will have to be transferred to a more stable location. However, spent reactor fuel cannot be simply lifted into the air by a crane as if it were routine cargo. In order to prevent severe radiation exposures, fires and p…ossible explosions, it must be transferred at all times in water and heavily shielded structures into dry casks. As this has never been done before, the removal of the spent fuel from the pools at the damaged Fukushima-Dai-Ichi reactors will require a major and time-consuming reconstruction effort and will involve charting in unknown waters.

They cranes have not yet been engineered. They say it will take 4 years before they are ready to attempt the transfer.

How long can you hold your breath?

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