Page 3 - Fuel Elements News Today

Dont know whether it has or it hasnt happened. thats bad news. this reactor where we had an explosion today, that reactor core was exposed for several hours to the air, without being protected by water. so the combination of those two things, a possible containment breach and the exposure of the fuel elements. if thats true, thats bad news. but we should be able to take samples soon, air and ground, and determine whether thats true or not. >> theres also very real concerns about how honest the g...

Thats bad news. and the government says that in all three reactors now, it is likely that the core has melted to some extent. not a full-blown meltdown, but it is melting. and particularly this reactor where we had an explosion today, that reactor core was exposed for several hours to the air, without being protected by water. so the combination of those two things, a possible containment breach and the exposure of the fuel elements, that -- if, if, if thats true, thats bad news. we should be ab...

To some extent. not a full-blown meltdown, but that it is melting. and particularly, this reactor where we had an explosion today, that reactor core was exposed for several hours to the air without being protected by water. so the combination of those two things, a possible containment breach and the exposure of the fuel elements, you know, that -- if, if, if thats true, thats bad news. but we should be able to take air samples soon. we should be able to take ground samples soon and determine wh...

Three reactors now, theres -- its likely the core has melted to some extent. now, not a full-blown meltdown, but its melting. and particularly this reactor where we had an explosion today, that reactor core was exposed for several hours to the air, without being protected by water. so the combination of those two things, a possible containment breach and the exposure of the fuel elements, you know, if -- if, if, if -- if thats true, thats bad news. but we should be able to take air samples soon,...

Randi? robert alvarez is a senior scholar and researches nuclear armament and environmental policies. and he says theres only about a 24-hour window in which to cool the reactor before the core and fuel elements are actually exposed. he gives us a glimpse into what might have happened inside that nuclear plant at the time of the explosion. >> the temperatures start to build and then in a matter of several hours you can start to have the reactor experience a meltdown and other things could happ...