The different explosion at Fukushima

NYT is waking up to Fukushima. They’re starting to realize that Tepco definitely does NOT have things under control.

Did the scattered Pu come from a reactor core or from an SFP? According to a USG FOIA report, its from a core. If they’re correct, that means that different explosion in #3 was the core, not the SFP. And it means that explosion destroyed the reactor vessel and the containment structure with enough force remaining to scatter the fuel pellets miles.  Anybody still believe that was a hydrogen explosion? If it was from the core, it HAD to be an nuclear incursion/excursion.

While publicly they’re pretending that most of the rods in the #4 SFP are undamaged, they’re quietly preparing plans to remove damaged rod assemblies.

And the groundwater reached the surface in the latest typhoon. This is REALLY bad, it means that it can flow over the underground barriers. And it’s HOT, so the workers are wading around with only their tybek and their boots to protect them.  This could cause a temporary evac of the site. TEPCO already has workers at positions where they’ll get their lifetime exposure limit in days.

Boxturtle (I told you it would be short. Pity the miserable turtle)