See a chronology and the current status (as of late night Sunday, March 13th -- U.S. East Coast time) of the still worsening Japanese nuclear emergency now involving 8 to 9 reactors in various stages of crisis:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/world/japan-nuclear-reactors-and-seismic-activity/
A second explosion has occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi reactor complex this time at the Unit 3 nuclear power plant. Unit 3 lost control of cooling water and exposed the top of its nuclear fuel in the reactor core sometime early March 13, 2011 initiating the first stage of fuel melting. The hydrogen gas is generated during this stage of a partial core melt. The explosive gas is being venting from the reactor vessel and then vented from the Mark I containment system to a roof top compartment. The large pocket of gas then found an ignition source and dramatically detonated with tremendous force. The detonation has occurred outside of the vital containment system. Many questions remain about the integrity of the containment system and the condition of approximately 50 tons of irradiated used nuclear fuel being stored in approximately 40 feet of water in the rooftop storage pond.
Citing Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency, Kyodo News reported the cooling system failed at the Tokai No. 2 Power station. No additional information was available. Tokai, about 75 miles from Tokyo and the site of nuclear-research facilities as well as the power plant, was the site of a 1999 radiation leak, known as the Tokaimura accident, that killed two technicians.
Word of the problem at Tokai came as Japanese nuclear authorities continued working Sunday to avert nuclear meltdown at an earthquake-damaged power plant, Prime Minister Naoto Kan warned Japan of large-scale power blackouts...MarketWatch
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UPDATE as of March 13, 2011, 4:53 p.m. EDT: Concerns about Japan’s earthquake-induced nuclear-power shutdowns spread to another reactor at the Tokai No. 2 Power station, but authorities said a pump is keeping the reactor cool, according to reports early Monday.
As the world continues to watch the struggle in Japan as at least two Fukushima reactors appear to have at least partially melted down, the crisis adds fuel to the already strong opposition to new reactors around the world, including in India.
NDTV reports: "Vivek Monteiro of the Konkan Bachao Samiti told NDTV, "All along experts had tried to convince us that Chernobyl was just an exception. Now, with what has happened in Japan nobody can say that nuclear power is safe and clean. We have not raised new questions. But the truth is that the questions we raised were ignored. What has happened in Japan has only increased the determination of the people to oppose the Jaitapur project. People across the board will now be asking questions about safety."
The Indian government has already signed a deal with French company Areva for its EPR technology that will be used in the six units at Jaitapur. It's a move opposed by activists who say the EPR technology is untested raising fears over its use and safety. Finland's EPRs are still under construction, facing huge cost escalations and expected to miss the deadline."
