Timeline of the
Fukushima nuclear accidents
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
On 11 March 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck
off the coast of Japan, off the island of Honshu.[1] This earthquake produced
a large tsunami in
Japan,
and a tsunami warning for over 20 countries. The earthquake triggered
the shut
down of three of the
Fukushima I (Dai-Ichi) Power Plant's six Reactors and
all four of the
Fukushima II (Dai-Ni) Power Station's four reactor units. The subsequent
tsunami stopped Fukushima I station's backup diesel generators.
The earthquake
and tsunami caused the damage that led to the
explosions and partial meltdowns at
the Fukushima I facility.
- 1 Background
- 2 Timeline
- 2.1 Friday,
11 March
- 2.2 Saturday,
12 March
- 2.3 Sunday,
13 March
- 2.4 Monday,
14 March
- 2.5 Tuesday,
15 March
- 2.6 Wednesday,
16 March
- 2.7 Thursday,
17 March
- 2.8 Friday,
18 March
- 2.9 Saturday,
19 March
- 2.10 Sunday,
20 March
- 2.11 Monday,
21 March
- 2.12 Tuesday,
22 March
- 2.13 Wednesday,
23 March
- 2.14 Thursday,
24 March
- 2.15 Friday,
25 March
- 2.16 Saturday,
26 March
- 3 See
also
- 4 References
- 5 External
links
|
* Background
* Fukushima
I
* Fukushima
II
* Timeline
Times are given in Japan
Standard Time (JST),
unless noted, which is UTC
plus nine hours.
* Friday,
11 March
- 14:46
- A 9.0
magnitude earthquake strikes
off the coast of Honshu
Island at a depth of
about 24 kilometres (15 mi). Fukushima
I power plant's
nuclear reactors 1, 2, and
3 are automatically shut down by the shake.
Nuclear reactors 4, 5, and 6 were undergoing routine maintenance and were
not operating, (reactor 4 was
defueled in November 2010). The tremor has
the additional effect of causing the power plant to be cut off from the
Japanese electricity grid, however,
backup diesel generators kick in to
continue cooling. Tokyo
Electric Power Company (TEPCO),
the plant's operator, finds that units 1 and 2 are not
operating correctly
and notifies the proper officials.[2]
- 15:01 (approximate)
- The tsunami unleashed by the earthquake strikes the Fukushima facility
damaging the backup generators required to cool the reactors. With the
loss of
power from the grid and the damage to the generators, the plant
has become "dark". Later, reports indicate that only the
generator for unit number 6
remained working in full operational capacity.
- According to a report in the New York Times, "[A]t the start of the
crisis Friday, immediately after the shattering earthquake, Fukushima
plant officials focused their
attention on a damaged storage pool for
spent nuclear fuel at the No. 2 reactor at Fukushima I, said a nuclear
executive who requested anonymity....
The damage prompted the plants
management to divert much of the attention and pumping capacity to that
pool, the executive added. The shutdown of the other
reactors then
proceeded badly, and problems began to cascade."[3]
- 16:00
- The Nuclear
and Industrial Safety Agency of
Japan (NISA) initiates an emergency headquarters in an attempt to gather
information on the 55 nuclear reactors in Japan.
[4] There
is no report that radiation was detected outside plant borders.[5]
- 19:03
- Prime Minister Naoto
Kan declares a nuclear
emergency status.[6] This
is announced by Yukio
Edano, Chief Cabinet officer in Japan. Japanese
government
officials
try to comfort the people of Japan by telling them that the proper
procedures are being undertaken. They also announce that no radioactive leaks
have
been detected.[4]
- 21:00
- An evacuation order is issued by the government to persons within a 3 kilometres
(1.9 mi) radius of the Fukushima
I station. Those
within a 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) radius
are told that they can
remain in their homes and carry on with regular activities until told
otherwise.[4]
- At Fukushima I, the ongoing lack of electricity is causing the cooling
system to fail, and the pressure within the nuclear units build up. This
pressure buildup is the result of
residual decay heat causing the coolant,
which is not being circulated, to evaporate.[7] There
is no confirmation of radiation leaking from the reactor.[8] TEPCO
announces
that pressure inside reactor unit 1 of Fukushima I is more than
twice normal levels.[4]
* Saturday,
12 March
Overview map showing evacuation and other zone progression and selected
radiation levels.
- 02:44
- Emergency battery power for the High Pressure Core Flooder System for
reactor unit 3 runs out.
- 04:15
- Fuel rods in reactor unit 3 are exposed.
- 04:30
- Officials declare a heightened state of alert for Fukushima II and a
state of nuclear emergency for Fukushima I.[9]
- 05:30
- Despite the high risk of the hydrogen igniting after combining with
oxygen from water or in the atmosphere, in order to release some of the
pressure inside the reactor at
Fukushima I unit 1, the decision is taken
to vent some of the steam (which contained a small amount of radioactive
material) into the air in the metal container building
surrounding the
unit.
- 10:09
- TEPCO confirms that a small amount of vapor has been released into the
air to release pressure in reactor unit 1 at Fukushima I.[10]
- 10:58
- Pressure still remains too high inside reactor unit 2 at Fukushima I. In
order to alleviate some of this pressure, a consensus is once more reached
to vent radioactive
vapor into the air.[10]
- 15:30
- Evacuation of residents within 3 km of Fukushima II and within 10 km
of Fukushima I are underway.[9]
- 15:36
- At reactor unit 1 at Fukushima I cameras document a massive hydrogen
explosion on the outer structure of one of four buildings at the plant. It
also documents the
outer structure collapsing.
- 18:36 (approximately)
- TEPCO announces that four persons who are employed at the power plant
have been injured in the unit 1 explosion.
Reactor building#1 at Fukushima I, wrecked by explosion.
- 20:00
- Uncertainty surrounds the actual cause of the blast at Fukushima I
(later identified as a hydrogen explosion) and the damage caused.
- Yukio Edano announces that the concrete building surrounding the steel
reactor vessel at unit 1 in Fukushima I has collapsed as a result of the
explosion;
however no damage is believed to have been sustained by the
reactor itself.
- 21:40
- The evacuation zone around Fukushima I is extended to 20 km, while
the evacuation zone around Fukushima II is extended to 10 km.[9]
- To release pressure within reactor unit 1 at Fukushima I, steam is
released out of the unit into the air. This steam contains water vapor,
hydrogen, oxygen and
some radioactive material, mostly tritium and nitrogen-16.
* Sunday,
13 March
- 05:10
- Fukushima I Unit 1 declared as an INES Level-4 "accident with local
consequences" event.[9]
- 10:35
- Fukushima II Unit 3 confirmed as shutdown cold and safe.[9]
- At Fukushima II, one worker is confirmed to have died in a crane
accident, four other injured.[9]
- Fukushima II Units 1, 2, and 4 are being powered by offsite power.[9]
* Monday,
14 March
- 11:15
- The outer building surrounding Unit 3 of Fukushima I explodes,
presumably due to the ignition of built up hydrogen gas.[11][12] No
health risk is reported,
though 600 people have been ordered to stay
indoors. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano reports that "The vessel
containing the No. 3 reactors radioactive
core is intact after
yesterdays blast", and that while the outer reactor building of
Unit 3 at Fukushima I is blown apart, the inner containment vessel is not
breached.
TEPCO later says at least four employees and two contractors
were injured in the blast.[13]
- 11:44
- Radiation reading at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Station (NPS)
border is 20 μSv/hour.[14]
- 12:30
- 13:15
- Fukushima II Unit 1 cooling system has been restored, work continues on
units 2 and 4.[9]
- 13:55
- Radiation reading at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Station (NPS)
border is 15 μSv/hour.[15]
- 20:30
- 21:00 (approximate)
- Fuel rods within Reactor #2 of the Fukushima I nuclear plant were fully
exposed to air (but were still within the intact containment vessel and
therefore not exposed to the outer atmosphere). TEPCO earlier said the
cooling system had been lost and began injecting seawater into the reactor
to cool it down.[16]
- 21:08
- The IAEA announce
the temperature in the spent fuel pond of reactor 4 are at 84 C[9]
- 21:16
- Yukio
Edano affirms that
Reactor number 2 of Fukushima I is unlikely to explode. In addition, he
stated that there is ongoing work to cool down the reactor.[17]
- 23:20 (approximate)
- Fuel rods at Reactor #2 of Fukushima I became fully exposed once again.
TEPCO says that pressure inside the reactor rose again because the unit's
air flow gauge was accidentally turned off. With the gauge turned off,
flow of water into the reactor was blocked, leading to full exposure of
the rods.[18]
* Tuesday,
15 March
- 06:00 (approximate)
- A fire in unit 4 reportedly breaks out around 6 am[19]
- 06:14 (approximate)
- A third explosion occurs at Fukushima I, unit 2 and damage of the
containment building is feared.[20] Reactor
unit 2's pressure-suppression system (the torus) is feared damaged, and
the radiation level exceeds the legal limit to reach 965.5 Sv/hour.
The radiation level later fluctuates up to 8217 Sv/hour,
two hours after the explosion. The level goes down to 2400 Sv/hour
shortly later.[21][22] Workers
at the plant start evacuation, with a select few remaining to keep the
reactors cooled.[23] The
plant's operator says the nuclear fuel rods could be melting.[22]Additionally,
it is confirmed that the 4th floor rooftop area of the Unit 4 Nuclear
Reactor Building had sustained damage, likely caused by the earlier blast
of Unit 3.[24]
- 07:00
- 08:30
- Radiation reading at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Station (NPS)
border is 8217 Sv/hour.[25][21]
- 08:54
- A fourth explosion and resulting fire is reported at unit 4.[20] IAEA
Reports that initial fire at unit 4 started at 2354 UTC on 14 March.[29]
- 09:14 (approximate)
- MSNBC reports that radiation measurements spiked at 11,900 Sv/hour
around 0914 as measured at the front gate of the facility and speculates
it was caused by the third explosion
at unit 2.[30]
- 09:40
- The Fukushima I Unit 4 building catches fire around 6 am,[19] likely
releasing radioactive contamination from the spent fuel stored there.[31][32] TEPCO
says workers extinguished the
fire by 12:00.[33][34] As
radiation levels rise, some of the fifty employees still at the plant are
evacuated.[35]
- 10:22
- The Fukushima I radiation monitor readings outside of the buildings are
30 mSv/hour
between Unit 2 and Unit 3, 400 mSv/hour
beside Unit 3, and 100 mSv/hour
beside Unit 4.[19]
- 11:00 (approximate)
- IAEA Reports that initial fire at unit 4 was extinguished at 200 UTC on
15 March.[9]
- 11:35
- At Fukushima II (Dai-Ni), Units 1, 2, and 3 are in cold shutdown. For
Unit 4, work is in progress to restore cooling and bring it to cold
shutdown.[9]
- 13:35
- No fly zone declared for 30 km around the Fukushima I plant. Prime
Minister warns of radiation hazard and further radiation leaks.
- 16:09
- There is a fire at a spent fuel pond of a reactor and radioactivity has
been released into the atmosphere, says the IAEA according to AFP news
agency.[36]
- 16:30
- Radiation reading at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Station (NPS)
border is 489.8 Sv/hour.[37]
- 16:38
- The AFP reports that the fire previously reported at unit 4's spent fuel
pond had released "radioactivity... directly into the
atmosphere" according to the IAEA .[36]
- 17:00
- The fire at the spent fuel pond has been put out by Japanese authorities
according to the IAEA; they state "Japanese authorities have
confirmed that the fire at the
spent fuel storage pond at the Unit 4
reactor of Fukushima I nuclear power plant was extinguished on 15 March at
17:00 JST."[9]
- 17:03
- There has been a slight rise in temperature of two more reactors at
Fukushima I nuclear plant, the chief government spokesman says according
to AFP.[36]
- 18:00
- Japanese nuclear safety official confirms reports that the water inside
the waste fuel storage pool for the Unit 4 Fukushima reactor may be
boiling, AP reports.[36]
- 19:00
- 21:00
- The water level in Fukushima I Unit 5 has been decreasing. Workers plan
to use Unit 6's diesel generator to help pump water into Unit 5.[9] Japanese
authorities have also informed the
IAEA that at 12:00 UTC of 15 March the
water level in Unit 5 had decreased to 201 cm above the top of the
fuel. This was a 40 cm decrease since 07:00 UTC of 15 March.
Officials at the plant were planning to use an operational diesel
generator in Unit 6 to supply water to Unit 5.[9]
- 23:35
- Radiation reading at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Station (NPS)
border is 6308 Sv/hour.[38]
* Wednesday,
16 March
- 05:45
- A location in the building of reactor 4 is reported to be on fire at the
Fukushima I (by NHK
TV[39]).
According to one of the worker's testimony, flames were present at the
location of Tuesday's fire. The fire was verified by satellite imagery
showing smoke rising from the reactor 4 building. The fire disappeared
later.[19] IAEA
confirms reports that a fire was visually
observed in unit 4, in a similar
area as the original fire.[9] This
new fire cast into doubt the earlier hope that the Tuesday blaze in the
Unit 4 housing was caused by lubricating oil pumps;
instead TEPCO
officials acknowledge it is possible the spent fuel rods are uncovered and
overheating, remarking that "the possibility of a re-criticality is
not zero."[39] Iouli
Andreev,
former director of the Soviet Spetsatom clean-up agency involved
in Chernobyl clean-up, and Laurence Williams, professor of nuclear safety
at the University of Central Lancashire,
speculate that the Fukushima
management had engaged in an unsafe practice of re-racking spent rods in
the pool well beyond its rated capacity, in effect heightening danger of
melting and pool boil-off.[40][41]
- 06:15
- IAEA Reports that the fire previously observed in unit 4 is no longer
visible.[9]
- 07:30
- Evacuation of the 20 km zone around Fukushima I is completed.[9]
- 08:00 (approximately)
- The US Embassy in Japan is recommending that all personnel adhere to the
Japanese safety measures, "including their recommended 20 km
radius for evacuation and
additional shelter-in-place recommendations out
to 30 km."[42]
- 08:00
- 08:30
- White smoke is seen rising from the vicinity of Fukushima I Unit 3.
Damage to the containment vessel of the unit is suspected.[19] Later
TEPCO reports that failing to cool the Spent Fuel Pool resulted in
evaporation of pool water, which caused steam.[45]
- 09:00
- The fire that broke out inside the building of Fukushima I reactor 4
appears to be extinguished.[36] According
to Kyodo News, TEPCO is
considering spraying boric
acid by helicopter to
prevent the spent nuclear fuel rods from reaching criticality again
and starting a nuclear chain reaction.[46] However,
TEPCO says that readings showed high levels of radiation, making the
building inaccessible, and therefore making the spraying "extremely
difficult".[36]
- 10:01 (estimated)
- Reactor 3 at Fukushima I nuclear power plant begins emitting white
smoke.[36]
- 10:46
- TEPCO says the reactor 3 at Fukushima I nuclear power plant has been
emitting white smoke for about 45 minutes.[36]
- 11:00
- Radiation reading at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Station (NPS)
border is 3391 Sv/hour[19]
- 11:36
- The remaining
50 workers located in
the Fukushima I nuclear power plant evacuate after radiation levels there
surge.[47]
- 11:40
- Chief cabinet secretary Edano announces that the white fumes emerging
from the plant may constitute radioactive steam that has breached
Fukushima I Unit 3's containment.[48]
- 12:30
- 12:35 (approximate)
- The 50 personnel that were evacuated at 11:36 return to the facility
after radiation levels subside.[51]
- 14:30
- Radiation reading at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Station (NPS)
border is 1937 Sv/hour.[45]
- 17:26
- TEPCO says that work on cooling the Fukushima I reactors is suspended
due to radiation risks for the second time.[52]
- 18:00
- Radiation decreased to 1500 Sv/hour
at Fukushima I site boundary (NHK TV). See also this
map of various
detectors stationed around Japan (owned by public and government).
- 19:00
- The Fukushima I Unit 3 Spent Fuel Pool level is low, with preparations
for water injection.[45]
- 19:00
- 19:50
- Radiation level at Fukushima II reactor (10km south of Fukushima I):
28.6 Sv/hour. ref
- 21:05
- Australian Foreign Minister Kevin
Rudd advises
Australians to leave Tokyo.[54]
- 23:30
- 130 additional people are allowed in the plant as radiation levels fall.[55]
- 23:55
- IAEA Web Site Reports that "Japanese authorities have reported
concerns about the condition of the spent nuclear fuel pool at Fukushima I
Unit 3 and Unit 4. Japanese Defense MinisterToshimi
Kitazawa announced
Wednesday that Special Defence Forces helicopters planned to drop water
onto Unit 3, and officials are also preparing to spray water into
Unit 4 from ground positions, and possibly later into Unit 3. Some
debris on the ground from the 14 March explosion at Unit 3 may need to be
removed before the spraying
can begin."[56]
* Thursday,
17 March
- 01:37
- The Australian
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issues
a Travel Advice Bulletin[57] advising
Australian travellers to reconsider the need to travel to Tokyo, the
surrounding earthquake-affected districts, Chiba, Fukushima, Aomori,
Iwate, Nagano, Niigata and Ibaraki prefectures and not to travel to the
Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant exclusion zone and Miyagi Prefecture.
- 03:50
- IAEA Director announces he will travel to Japan to "see the
situation for himself".[58]
- 04:00
- The US Embassy, on advice from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, tells
Americans to evacuate a radius of "approximately 50 miles (80 km)"
from the Fukushima plant.[59]
- 05:25 (approximately)
- The head of the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Gregory
Jaczko, says that the fuel pool at unit 4 had run dry and as a result,
radiation levels at the plant were "extremely high".
TEPCO
denies that the pool had run dry and said "the condition is
stable" at unit 4.[60][61]
- 09:00
- Radiation levels in cities near Fukushima I plant: 13.9 Sv at
Fukushima City, 65 km northwest; 2.71 Sv at Kooriyama city, 60 km
west; 1.25 Sv at Iwaki city, 40 km southwest.[62]
- 09:19 (approximate)
- Naoki Tsunoda, a TEPCO spokesman, indicates that the new power lines to
the plant were almost finished and that officials planned to try it
"as soon as possible.
" Kyodo said that could be as early as
Thursday afternoon.[63]
- 09:48
- Japan
Ground Self-Defense Force 1st
Helicopter Brigade uses
two CH-47 helicopters
with helicopter
buckets to perform
water spraying operations on reactor unit 3.
[64][65] Japan
Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF)
reports that the helicopter had been specially modified with lead
shielding to protect the personnel onboard.[66]
However,
much of the water appeared to be dispersed in the wind before reaching its
target.[67]
- 10:00
- Helicopter based spraying operations are halted after 4 water drops were
performed on unit 3.[68] Japanese
newscaster NHK indicates that spraying operations will continue
from the
ground and that personnel are monitoring the radiation levels around the
base.
- 10:15
- The IAEA releases a summary of all injuries and contaminations due to
the situation at the Fukushima I nuclear plant. It indicates that 23
people were injured, more than
20 were contaminated, and 2 are missing.[69]
- 10:40
- JAIF reports that the radiation levels at the main gate are 10
millisieverts per hour.[70]
- 11:05
- The Japanese nuclear safety agency says external power to the plant
should partially resume later in the day.[Kyodo News]
- 11:10
- Radiation reading at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Station (NPS)
border is 646 Sv/hour.[71]
- 12:00
- The IAEA announces
that the temperature in spent fuel pond at reactor 5 is 64.2 C and the
spent fuel pond at reactor 6 is 62.5 C[9]
- 12:07
- Cabinet Secretary Edano says Unit 3 is the top priority for cooling
efforts [Kyodo News]
- 16:00
- The Japan Times reports that radiation levels at the main gate drop to
1.5 millisieverts per hour. Additionally, after hours of conflicting
reports on the cause of the white smoke
emitting from unit 3, Chief
Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano corrects an earlier statement and now
believes that the smoke is being released from the storage pool at unit 3,
and not the containment vessel.[70]
- 16:00
- 17:00
- South Korean foreign minister Kim
Sung-hwan urges South
Koreans in Japan to stay 80 kilometers outside the earthquake-stricken
nuclear complex in Fukushima.[72]
- 17:30
- Rewiring unit 2 to the Japanese power grid is completed at 08:30 UTC and
IAEA indicates that power will be turned on once the spraying of unit 3 is
completed.[73]
- 19:05
- Tokyo
Metropolitan Police riot
control team begin
spraying water to unit 3 with a water
cannon truck, Though
it did not have enough effect.[74]
- 19:35
- Japan
Self-Defence Forces begin
spraying water to unit 3 with five airport
crash tenders which
came from military air fields.[75][76]
- 22:00
- 20:07
- Soldiers finish successfully spraying 30 tons of water from airport
crash tenders onto Unit 3, and TEPCO is now evaluating the effectiveness
of the operation.[75][76] IAEA
indicates that the spraying of water on the Unit 3 reactor building was
temporarily stopped.[73]
- 22:37
- Reuters reports that work has started to connect outside power lines to
the Fukushima I nuclear power plant. Unit 2 will be the first to receive
electricity. The earliest this could happen is Friday.[79]
* Friday,
18 March
- 01:55
- Engineers have begun laying power grid cabling to unit 2. Power to unit
2 will be reconnected once the spraying of water on the unit 3 reactor
building ceases.[9]
- 03:00
- The IAEA announces
the temperature of the spent fuel pool at Unit 5 is 65.5 C and the
temperature of the spent fuel pool at Unit 6 is 62.0 C, a slight
increase since yesterday at Unit 5, and a slight decrease since yesterday
at Unit 6.[9]
- 04:33
- BBC reports with reference to UN's nuclear watchdog that reactor 2 is
connected to power line.[80] It
may allow operators to restart Emergency Core Cooling System and Residual
Heat Removal pumps for the reactor.
- 05:30
- TEPCO reports that laying of grid cabling to Unit 2 continues.[9]
- The United
States Air Force is
using a latest Global
Hawk unmanned aircraft
from Guam to
view the reactors.[81][82]
- 07:20
- The Daily Telegraph publishes a photograph of the damaged unit No. 4 at
Fukushima I taken by an employee of TEPCO from an Army's UH-60 helicopter.
They claim this photo shows that the pool holding the spent fuel rods in
unit 4 has boiled dry.[83]
- 07:30
- Radiation reading at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Station (NPS) border
is 271 Sv/hour.[84]
- 11:00
- The United States is sending water pumps to Japan.[85]
- 14:00
- Water dousing resumes on unit 3 by the Japan
Self-Defense Forces (SDF).
Workers also joined the operation with a fire truck that lent from the
U.S. Air Force in Yokota.[86][87]
- 16:00
- 16:00
- JAIF reports that the most immediate issue is the threat of damage to
the fuel rods in the fuel pools outside the containment vessel at Units 1,
2, 3, and 4.[88]
- 18:40
- IAEA raises
INES rating from 4 to 5. Radiation reading 1 km from Fukushima I Unit
2 is 292.2 Sv/hour.[89]
- 22:00
- A plume model shows that the movement of the radioactive material is
primarily across the ocean.[90]
* Saturday,
19 March
- 00:45
- Water dousing resumes on Unit 3 by hyper rescue troop with the
cooperation of Tokyo
Fire Department.[91]
- 01:10
- Water dousing on unit 3 completed at 01:10.[91]
- 05:00
- AC power source provided by emergency diesel generator becomes available
at Units 5 and 6. Cooling of the spent fuel pool started at Unit 5.[92]
- 08:10
- Radiation measured at the west gate of the power station is 830.8 μSv/h.[92]
- 12:50
- Power line is connected to power plant but not activated yet.[93]
- 19:07
- Milk and spinach from areas around power plant have been found with
radiation levels exceeding Japan's standards.[94] Japan
government halts sales of all food from Fukushima
prefecture.
- 22:14
- Cooling of the spent fuel pool started at Unit 6.[92]
- 22:21
- Radioactive
iodine in trace
amounts found in tap water in Tokyo and 5 other areas near Fukushima; and caesium-137 trace
amounts have been found in Tochigi and Gunma prefectures.
The Japanese government says the amounts, though above normal, do not
exceed safety limits and should not affect human health.[96]
- 23:52
- Radioactive iodine beyond limit detected in tap water in a town in
Fukushima, reports Kyodo News with reference to government.[97]
* Sunday,
20 March
- 03:00
- Restored emergency power to the spent fuel pond cooling systems for
units 5 and 6 and have brought the unit 5 pond temperature down from 68.8
C to 43.1 C and the unit 6 pond temperature down from 67.5 C to 52
C as of 03:00 JST.[98]
- 04:26
- "The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency said there is some
positive progress and engineers at the end may not need to open valves
inside the container vessel of the No. 3 reactor to alleviate pressure
that is building up",[99] while
they were initially planning this action. Such a move, if forced, would
release more radioactive steam.
- 09:00
- Spent fuel pond water temperature dropped to 36.1 C at Unit 5 and 36.6
C at Unit 6.[92]
- 16:00
* Monday,
21 March
- 15:55
- Grey smoke emitted from the southeast corner of the Reactor Building #3
at the Fukushima I (Daiichi) plant, in the area of the spent fuel pool.
TEPCO evacuated the site temporarily.[100][101]
- 19:00
- White smoke emitted from the roof of Reactor Building #2 at the
Fukushima I (Daiichi) plant.[102]
- 20:00
- Full scale cooling restored for the Reactor #5.[103]
- 23:45
- Investigators and researchers in Japan criticized the lack of data on
radioactive releases, making it difficult to predict the path of
dispersal.[104]
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