OK, even though, in reality, it's a minimum of level fucking 6; let's concede that the rating of 5 accurately describes how far any of the reactors have devolved to.
[
link to www.nationmultimedia.com]
IT'S STILL NOT
A LEVEL 5!!!
It's AT LEAST
3 (THREE!!!)
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL 5s with another individual level 4 thrown in for good measure!!!!!
[
link to www.iaea.org]
Unit 1
Coolant within Unit 1 is covering about half of the fuel rods in the reactor, leading to fuel damage. High pressure within the reactor's containment led operators to vent gas from the containment. Later, an explosion destroyed the outer shell of the reactor building above the containment on 12 March.
There are no indications of problems with either the reactor pressure vessel or the primary containment vessel.
Efforts to pump seawater into the reactor core are continuing.
On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES rating of 5 to this unit. Further information on the ratings and the INES scale.
Unit 2
Coolant within Unit 2 is covering about half of the fuel rods in the reactor, leading to fuel damage. Following an explosion on 15 March, Japanese officials expressed concerns that the reactor's containment may not be fully intact. NISA officials reported on 18 March that white smoke continues to emerge from the building.
Efforts to pump seawater into the reactor core are continuing.
On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES rating of 5 to this unit.Unit 3
Coolant within Unit 3 is covering about half of the fuel rods in the reactor, leading to fuel damage. High pressure within the reactor's containment led operators to vent gas from the containment. Later, an explosion destroyed the outer shell of the reactor building above the containment on 14 March.
Following the explosion, Japanese officials expressed concerns that the reactor's containment may not be fully intact. NISA officials reported on 18 March that white smoke continues to emerge from the building.
Efforts to pump seawater into the reactor core are continuing.
Of additional concern at Unit 3 is the condition of the spent fuel pool in the building. There are indications that there is an inadequate cooling water level in the pool, and Japanese authorities have addressed the problem by dropping water from helicopters into the building and spraying water from trucks. On 18 March, Japanese Self Defence Forces used seven fire trucks to continue spraying efforts. There is no data on the temperature of the water in the pool.
On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES rating of 5 to this unit.Unit 4
All fuel had been removed from the reactor core for routine maintenance before the earthquake and placed into the spent fuel pool. A portion of the building's outer shell was damaged by the explosion at Unit 3 on 14 March, and there have been two reported fires - possibly including one in the spent fuel pool on 15 March -- that extinguished spontaneously, although smoke remained visible on 18 March.
Authorities remain concerned about the condition of the spent fuel pool.
On 18 March, Japan assigned an INES rating of 4 to this site.Downplay, rinse, repeat...Downplay, rinse, repeat...Downplay, rinse, repeat...Downplay, rinse, repeat...
Last Edited by Anomalous Howard on 03/19/2011 12:05 PM
United States
