''Under a consortium called IRID, TEPCO and its research partners have been developing robots and other devices to assist in investigations inside the damaged reactors, where radiation levels are too high to allow humans to safely enter. The recent investigations at Unit 2 were intended to help plan the travel path of a folding crawler robot called the “Scorpion.” This device is designed to crawl around on the metal grating deck inside the pedestal and gather further imagery and measurements. The recent investigations, however, have revealed a 1×1 meter section of the deck to be melted through, and much of the rest may be impassable for the robot. In addition, the high radiation levels will likely limit the amount of time the robot will be able to operate before malfunctioning to about 2 hours, instead of the planned 10 hours. Much more melted fuel debris is assumed to have settled beneath the pedestal grating on the concrete basemat of the reactor. It was hoped that the Scorpion would be able to provide imagery of this. Not surprisingly, TEPCO is once again revising its plans based on the recent findings. These investigations are technically quite impressive, but they have already been delayed for over a year due to the need to more adequately decontaminate the area where human workers must operate and to solve other technical problems. This recent imagery is extremely informative and helpful, and had been eagerly awaited by many concerned people, including Safecast. If nothing else, we have learned to be patient as TEPCO proceeds slowly and cautiously with this work. The process of removing melted fuel debris from the damaged reactors at Fukushima Daiichi is expected to take decades, and these recent findings remind us once again that TEPCO has little grounds for optimism about the challenges of this massive and technically unprecedented project.''
Fukushima Daiichi NPS Prompt Report 2017
Fukushima Daiichi NPS Prompt Report (Feb 15,2017)NEW CHALLENGE: TEPCO will send "SCORPION" robot into Fukushima Daiichi Unit 2 PCV for further investigation.
Following up on a telescopic probe and obstacle removal robot, TEPCO will insert a new robot which looks like a scorpion to further investigate inside the Unit 2 PCV. This is a new challenge for TEPCO that the robot will try to obtain information on the reactor by getting visual image and measuring temperature and radiation level.
Ideally, TEPCO needs to identify where the melted fuels are located inside the reactor in order to research and develop the technology to remove the fuels. And this will also welcome more progressively on international collaboration and partnerships.
Scorpion shaped robot is a "symbol" of new challenge that TEPCO is going to face for the decommissioning the site. The information which will be obtained from its cameras will allow TEPCO to further understand the condition of the Unit 2.
In addition, investigation will be held in a safe manner that robot will be inserted inside the PCV and the radiation will remain at the same area.
Every step is a new challenge for TEPCO but TEPCO welcomes the challenge. There are lessons to be learned every day. But "technology" such as robots are constantly evolving. And TEPCO will keep moving forward.'' http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/2017/1377951_10469.html
''Every step is a new challenge for TEPCO but TEPCO welcomes the challenge''
''Welcomes the challenge''? Now WE know they're lying!
At this stage TEPCO/TOSHIBA have NFI what is down in the basement. I'll give you a clue: It's not Aliens!
I eagerly await their latest update. ( They ALWAYS report at least once every 7 days. They're due today at the latest.)
Plenty of ''feel good'' stories (press releases) on the storage of contaminated water but ''deathly'' quiet on the ''Scorpion'' front.
Hot off the press:
'TEPCO told it must re-submit papers to pass NRA screening
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
March 1, 2017 at 18:40 JST
''The nation's nuclear watchdog, incensed at more blundering by Tokyo Electric Power Co., ordered it to re-submit documents for the restart of two reactors at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant after checking them again for accuracy.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority also summoned TEPCO's president to its office and gave him a dressing-down for failing to reveal information that could have compromised safety at the plant.
The NRA's action Feb. 28 followed revelations in mid-February that a key building at the facility may not be able to withstand anything like the strong earthquake shaking it is supposed to. This fact came to light in 2014 but was not reported to the NRA until last month.
TEPCO said that the information was not shared within the company, and as a result, was not conveyed to its division in charge of NRA screenings.
It was the first time for the NRA to summon TEPCO President Naomi Hirose to its office as part of the screening process for the restart of reactors.
“TEPCO needs to learn from other electric power companies, but its stance is insufficient. As the company lost public trust due to the accident (at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March 2011), it needs to make much greater efforts than others. But it is not doing so,” said NRA chairman Shunichi Tanaka.
Hirose acknowledged that TEPCO needs to work harder to regain society's trust, saying, "We are taking that fact seriously.”
He said TEPCO had shown "insufficient humility and displayed arrogance."
Hirose stated that the company intends to learn its lesson and will re-submit documents so that the plant passes the screening process.
To get to that point, the top management of TEPCO will have to check several thousand pages of documents. As drastic changes may have to be made, it is inevitable that the NRA screenings will be prolonged.
In 2013, TEPCO applied to the NRA for screenings so it can restart the No. 6 and No. 7 reactors at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture.
The screenings entered the final stage in 2016. But this coincided with big changes in policies over the designs of quake-resistant capabilities of buildings and measures for sea walls to deal with liquefaction.
Then, this year, it was learned that TEPCO failed to report to the NRA for three consecutive years that a key building, which is expected to serve as an on-site emergency headquarters in the event of a severe accident, may not be able to withstand even half of the assumed strongest seismic shaking.
The upshot of the series of problems meant that the NRA wasted time for discussions.
But the NRA is also miffed that TEPCO seems unable to decide its basic policies in a determined manner.''
Another ''snapshot'' of corporate ethics!
Now I'm off to try and find a Stupid Cheese-eating Surrender Monkey to sell my shares to.
PDN Price at posting:
11.5¢ Sentiment: Sell Disclosure: Held
(20min delay)