Japan's Fukushima operator confirms nuclear reactors ‘leaking to ocean’
Visible in green within the shattered walls of Fukushima nuclear
power plant, the storage pool is dried up, exposing nuclear fuel
rods to the air. AHB (Photo: AP)
The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant has admitted for the first time that the site’s reactors are leaking highly contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean.
■ Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, admitted the leakage to the ocean for the first time since a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami damaged the plant’s reactors in 2011. The operator made the acknowledgement after steam was seen at one of the plant's reactors on Tuesday. ■ TEPCO has come under criticism for its delay in the announcement, since experts had harbored strong suspicions about a possible leak for a long time. Previously, the company had denied reports suggesting that contaminated water was leaking into the ocean.
■ TEPCO spokesman Masayuki Ono said that radioactive water leaking from the wrecked reactors is likely to have run into the underground water system, before joining the ocean, and might therefore be the result of initial leaks to the underground system spotted in 2011.
Japan Daily Press: TEPCO admits radioactive groundwater is leaking into the sea at Fukushima
Bloomberg: Tepco Says Toxic Water Leaked to Sea From Fukushima Plant
Stephen Lendman: Multiples Worse than Chernobyl [03/21/11]
Stephen Lendman: Coverup and Denial in Japan [03/15/11]
huliq.com: Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Skipped Inspections [03/22/11]
Washington's Blog: Government Reacts to Fukushima Radiation Crisis By Raising Acceptable Radiation Standards … Instead of Fixing Anything [04/15/13]