Six months after the magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami blacked out the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, crews continue the painstaking task of cooling three damaged reactors, isolating four spent fuel tanks and treating tons of irradiated water that has accumulated in the plant's lower levels.
In the last week those efforts continued with few surprises, as Tokyo Electric Power Co. reported progress on a cover for unit 1 and the Japanese government issued two notable announcements affecting the plant:
Frame For Unit 1 Cover Completed
Unit 1, which lost its roof to a hydrogen explosion early in the crisis, should be sheltered again by next month. TEPCO announced that it has completed the steel frame for a cover that will shield the reactor building from the elements and help prevent radioactive contaminants from entering the atmosphere.
Edano Takes Helm Of Agency Overseeing Crisis
Yukio Edano, Japan's former chief cabinet secretary and the government spokesman who became known around the world during his round-the-clock press conferences following the earthquake, was appointed minister for economy, trade and industry.
The agency oversees Japan's energy policy and its nuclear regulator, giving it substantial oversight of Fukushima Daiichi. Edano was appointed Monday after his predecessor, Yoshio Hachiro, referred to evacuated sites he visited near the plant as “towns of death” and resigned over the weekend following that gaffe and others.
Edano: Fukushima Daini Restart Unlikely
Edano told Japanese media Thursday that, in all likelihood, Fukushima Daiichi's sister plant would not come back online.
Fukushima Daini, which means Fukushima number two, is located 6 miles from the severely damaged Fukushima Daiichi plant. The four reactors at Daini are in cold shutdown status and did not appear to be severely damaged following the earthquake. Nonetheless, reactors in Japan require approval from local officials to return to service, and Edano said he thought that would be unlikely for Daini.