Investigations at unit 1 at Fukushima Daiichi suggest that most of the fuel in the reactor core melted and dropped to the bottom of the reactor vessel in the early stages of the accident. Work has started on installing a structure to cover the damaged reactor building.
The ongoing radiological release from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has led Japanese authorities to raise the rating of the accident there to Level 7.
Tokyo Electric Power Company has been criticised over yesterday's exposure to workers operating in ankle-deep water, but continues to make progress towards stabilising the site two weeks after the natural disasters of 11 March.
Workers on site have succeeded in increasing the stability of the Fukushima Daiichi reactor units with units 5 and 6 now in cold shutdown. Pressure built up within unit 3 but a more significant venting does not seem necessary now.
Remote-controlled robots are being used to assess the conditions inside the damaged reactor buildings of units 1, 2 and 3 at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant..JPG "Fukushima - tsunami (Tepco)")
Efforts are being made to maintain the power supply and cooling functions at the damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant in the event that another strong earthquake and tsunami strikes the plant. The precautionary move comes as initial compensation payments are offered to evacuated nearby residents.
The ongoing radiological release from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has led Japanese authorities to raise the rating of the accident there to Level 7..jpg "Fukushima devastation (Tepco)")
Two workers missing since the natural disasters of 11 March have now been found dead in the turbine building of Fukushima Daiichi unit 4..jpg "Concrete pumps being sent to Fukushima"){kind=small}
Four more concrete pumping trucks are on their way to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to help the effort to maintain fuel ponds.
Tokyo Electric Power Company has revised the estimated size of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.