Three days after the devastating earthquake and the resulting tsunami hit Japan, the threat of nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima 1 nuclear plant is growing.

The main problem at the moment is in reactor 2 of the plant, where the cool water system broke down on Friday. Sea water is being pumped into the plant. Nevertheless the nuclear rods were exposed twice on Monday.

The first time was when the generator ran out of fuel. The second occurred later in the day when an air pressure regulator was switched off accidently, blocking the flow of sea water. "We are not optimistic," said a spokesperson for the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), "but I think we can inject water into the reactor as soon as we can open the valve and lower the air pressure."

No Chernobyl
Exposure of the rods leads to overheating. If the authorities fail to get the situation under control, there is a danger of meltdown, which could lead to an explosion and the release of radioactivity into the air.

According to TEPCO, the nuclear rods may have already started melting. A Japanese government spokesperson says radioactivity in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant has increased but remains within safe levels for humans.

Earlier today, an explosion took place in reactor 3, injuring 11 people, one of them seriously. The explosion caused one of the walls around the reactor to collapse. On Saturday, an explosion destroyed the outer shell of reactor 1.

TEPCO and the UN nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) say the reactor chambers have not been damaged. Japan has asked the IAEA to send a team of experts to help resolve the situation. Head of the IAEA Yukiya Amano says Fukushima will not be a second Chernobyl, the world's worst nuclear disaster which took place in the Soviet Union in 1986. Firstly the Japanese safety precautions are better, and secondly, the reactor was shut down, preventing a chain of explosions. In addition, the reactor chambers are still intact.

European reactions
The nuclear crisis in Japan is also affecting decision-making concerning nuclear energy in Europe. Last year, Germany decided to keep its nuclear facilities open for longer, but that decision has partially been repealed. Chancellor Angela Merkel has suspended the decision for three months while the safety of the nuclear reactors is checked. Switzerland has decided to freeze procedures for licences to build three new nuclear power stations. Bern wants to make sure its safety measures will prevent problems like the ones developing in Japan from taking place in the Alps.

European commissioner Günther Oettinger has invited energy ministers from the 27 EU member states to Brussels on Tuesday to discuss the situation in Japan. He wants to know what effect the nuclear problems will have on the European Union.

Dutch situation
Dutch Economic Affairs Minister Maxime Verhagen says the events in Japan will “of course” be considered when the Netherlands sets its requirements for new nuclear power stations. The Dutch cabinet intends to issue licences for the construction of new nuclear power plants during its current four-year term. The construction of new plants is expected to begin in 2015.

The minister says the existing nuclear plant at Borssele was built to withstand an earthquake registering 5.2 on the Richter scale. The value is based on the worst ever earth tremor measured by the Dutch meteorological centre (KNMI) increased by a safety factor. The nuclear power station is also able to withstand floodwaters higher than 7.3 metre above NAP (roughly sea level), the level of flooding predicted to take place once every million years.

Japan death toll rising
The official death toll reported by Japanese media is currently 1886, but that number is expected to exceed 10,000. Around 2000 bodies have been found along the coast of the Ojika peninsula in the north. Thousands of people are missing.

(Sources: ANP and NOS)

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