Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire: FEPC Update to Information Sheet Regarding the Tohoku Earthquake

Monday, March 21, 2011

Update to Information Sheet Regarding the Tohoku Earthquake

The Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPC) Washington DC Office

As of 11:00AM (EST), March 21, 2011

At 04:30PM (JST) on March 21, radiation level outside main office building (approximately 1,640 feet from Unit 2 reactor building) of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: 2,015 micro Sv/hour.
At 06:30PM on March 21, radiation level at main gate (approximately 3,281 feet from Unit 2 reactor building) of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station: 1,932 micro Sv/hour.
Measurement results of ambient dose rate around Fukushima Nuclear Power Station announced at 1:00PM and 4:00PM on March 21 are shown in the attached two PDF files respectively.
For comparison, a human receives 2,400 micro Sv per year from natural radiation in the form of sunlight, radon, and other sources. One chest CT scan generates 6,900 micro Sv per scan.

At 2:25PM on March 21, pressure inside the reactor core: 0.198MPa.
At 2:25PM on March 21, water level inside the reactor core: 1.75 meters below the top of the fuel rods.
At 2:25PM on March 21, pressure inside the primary containment vessel: 0.16MPaabs.
As of 4:00PM on March 21, the injection of seawater into the reactor core continues.
As of 7:00PM on March 21, external power generation is connected and the functionality of the electric devices is being checked.

At 2:25PM on March 21, pressure inside the reactor core: -0.023MPa.
At 2:25PM on March 21, water level inside the reactor core: 1.35 meters below the top of the fuel rods.
At 2:25PM on March 21, pressure inside the primary containment vessel: 0.12MPaabs.
At 2:25PM on March 21, the temperature of the spent fuel pool: 122.0 degrees Fahrenheit.
At 6:22PM on March 21, steam was emitted from the secondary containment building. (Under investigation)
As of 4:00PM on March 21, the injection of seawater into the reactor core continues.
As of 7:00PM on March 21, external power generation is connected and the functionality of the electric devices is being checked.

At 9:30PM on March 20, the Tokyo Fire Department began to shoot water aimed at the spent fuel pool, continuously until 3:58AM on March 21 (roughly 1,137 tons in total).
At 12:25PM on March 21, pressure inside the reactor core: -0.083MPa.
At 12:25PM on March 21, water level inside the reactor core: 1.6 meters below the top of the fuel rods.
At 12:25PM on March 21, pressure inside the primary containment vessel: 0.120MPaabs.
At 3:55PM on March 21, gray smoke was emitted from the secondary containment building.
At 4:49PM on March 21, the gray smoke changed to white smoke, but the volume of the smoke was unchanged.
At 6:02PM on March 21, it was confirmed that the emission of smoke had ceased.
As of 4:00PM on March 21, the injection of seawater into the reactor core continues.
As of 7:00PM on March 20, about 3,742 tons of water in total has been shot to the spent fuel storage pool.
As of 7:00PM on March 21, activities for connecting an external power supply are underway.

At 6:22PM on March 20, 10 Self Defense Force vehicles began to shoot water aimed at the spent fuel pool, until 7:43PM (roughly 81 tons in total).
At 6:37AM on March 21, 12 Self Defense Force vehicles and TEPCO began to shoot water aimed at the spent fuel pool, until 8:41AM (in total about 91 tons). TEPCO used one high pressure water cannon supplied by the US Army.
As of 7:00PM on March 21, roughly 83 tons of water in total has been shot to the spent fuel storage pool.
As of 7:00PM on March 21, activities for connecting an external power supply are underway.

At 4:00PM on March 21, the temperature of the spent fuel pool: 108.1 degrees Fahrenheit.
As of 7:00PM on March 21, external power generation is connected and the functionality of the electric devices is being checked.

At 7:27PM on March 20: cold shutdown
At 4:00PM on March 21, the temperature of the spent fuel pool: 96.8 degrees Fahrenheit.
As of 7:00PM on March 21, external power generation is connected and the functionality of the electric devices is being checked.

From 10:37AM to 3:30PM on March 21, roughly 130 tons of water in total has been injected into the spent fuel storage pool.

Michele Kearney's Nuclear Wire