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Nuke: Power Line Connected, But May Not See Immediate Use

 

 


# 5420

 

 

Although it’s been billed as a major step towards getting the nuclear crisis under control at the Fukushima nuclear facility, getting an external power line to the damaged reactors won’t necessarily solve all of the problems.

 

The hope is that with an external power source, the cooling pumps can be restarted, and the dangerously rising heat can be bled off from the reactors.

 

But that assumes that the pumps are undamaged from the initial quake, or from the hydrogen gas explosions that have occurred, or from the tons of sea water that emergency workers have been dousing the reactor buildings with for several days.

 

TEPCO has announced that the power lines are now connected, and that their plan is to “to supply Unit 2 [reactor No. 2] first, followed by Unit 1, Unit 3 and Unit 4  because Unit 2 is expected to be less damaged". 

 

NHK World News  provides a cautionary note, however, reporting that it may be `some time’ before engineers will be able to actually apply power to the pumps.

 

 

Outside power source won't be available soon

Friday, March 18, 2011 21:24 +0900 (JST)

The government says an outside power source is unlikely to be available at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant for some time, although electricity is urgently needed to cool the reactors.

 

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said on Friday that the installation of power cables at the Number One and Number 2 reactors is expected to be completed on Saturday. The operation to add power cables at the Number 3 and Number 4 reactors is likely to end on Sunday.

 

The agency said, however, that it will take some time to confirm the safety of the damaged facilities.

(Continue . . . )

 

 

How long `some time’ might be isn’t stated.  Hours?  Days?

 

That is something that very likely depends on just how badly damaged the cooling systems and their control systems are in these four reactors. 

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