Fukushima gears up for nuclear fuel rod removal
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.027486
BBC : More than two years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, engineers are preparing for the next step toward stabilizing the site: the removal of thousands of nuclear fuel rods from one of the damaged buildings. The rods, submerged in water-filled casks, will be lifted out by crane in batches of 22 at a time. They will then be placed in a new “common” pool that has been reinforced against potential earthquakes and tsunamis. Because the rods are filled with uranium fuel, their removal and relocation are risky. Moreover, until the operation begins, no one can know for sure whether the rods themselves suffered damage during the original disaster.
