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Friday, March 18, 2011

Japan : More smoke rises from crippled nuclear plant

Another report from Japan Today :

" Smoke billowed from a building at Japan’s crippled nuclear power plant Friday as emergency crews worked to reconnect electricity to cooling systems and spray more water on the overheating reactors at the tsunami-ravaged facility.

Four of the troubled Fukushima Dai-ichi plant’s six reactors have seen fires, explosions or partial meltdowns in the week since the tsunami. While the reactor cores where energy is generated are a concern, Japanese and U.S. officials believe a critical danger are the pools used to store spent nuclear fuel: fuel rods in one pool were believed to be at least partially exposed and in danger of leaking radiation.

Friday’s smoke came from No. 2 reactor, and its cause was not known, the nuclear safety agency said. An explosion had hit the building on Tuesday, possibly damaging a crucial cooling chamber that sits below the reactor core.

More urgent, Japan’s chief government spokesman said, was the adjacent No. 3 reactor. Fuel rods there may have been partially exposed, and without enough water, the rods may heat further and possibly spew radiation.

Frantic efforts were made Thursday to douse the unit with water, using helicopters and firetrucks, and authorities prepared to repeat the effort Friday. “Dealing with No. 3 is our utmost priority,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters."

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