Leak at Fukushima appears to be lessening
The operator of the crisis-hit Fukushima nuclear plant has injected a hardening agent beneath a leaking concrete pit in a bid to stem the flow of highly radioactive water into the sea.
The firm says the leakage seems to be decreasing, following the infusion of the hardening agent.
The utility showed reporters a photo of the leak on Tuesday evening, saying it indicates such a decrease.
TEPCO said it will infuse another 1,500 liters of liquid glass.
Tokyo Electric Power Company started infusing liquid glass into gravel below the pit near the Number 2 reactor at 3 PM on Tuesday.
TEPCO spotted a crack in the pit 3 days ago while trying to find the source of the leakage of contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean.
Since then, the utility has tried in vein to seal the pit with concrete, or to plug piping leading into it with a polymer mixture.
A test using a dye agent showed the possibility that the radioactive water is leaking from a cracked pipe, and then seeping through gravel into the concrete pit.
TEPCO is planning to board up the breached sections of an offshore dike to prevent the tainted water from spreading further into the sea.
It is also considering building underwater barriers at 3 locations, including one near a water intake for the Number 2 reactor.
Tuesday, April 05, 2011 20:24 +0900 (JST)
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