Fruitful leak inspections of the unit 1 torus and a promise to improve working conditions highlighted the recent news from Fukushima Daiichi.
Developments related to the Tokyo Electric Power Co. plant blacked out following Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami include:
Reactor Leaks Identified
For the first time since the accidents, TEPCO has identified locations where water is escaping from its leaking unit 1 reactor at Fukushima. A small water-borne robot circling its torus Wednesday inspected four of the areas where large pipes connect the tire-shaped chamber to the drywell, according to a TEPCO release. In one area, operators were able to identify a leak in the upper part of a vent pipe and in a sand cushion drain pipe. Doses measured along the way ranged between 0.9 and 1.8 sieverts per hour. The robot was scheduled to inspect the remaining portion of the torus Thursday.
TEPCO Pledges Worker Improvements
On Nov. 8, TEPCO announced plans to improve conditions for workers at the plant. Wages for some employees will increase, while the labor premium paid to contractors will double to $200 per person, per day. At the same time, TEPCO plans to tighten its supervision of the numerous contractor companies that have workers on the site, while introducing a new operations manual. The announcement also promised improvements to meals, living conditions, cell phone communications and worker transportation. Additionally, the Asahi Shimbun reported that TEPCO plans to build a rest station that can accommodate 1,200 workers. By the end of next year, it also plans to add a facility nearby that can serve up to 3,000 meals.