Tepco gaining control, but cold shutdown still far off

摘要

The accident at Japan's Fukushi-ma Daiichi nuclear power plant following the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami has developed as a series of radiological releases, the most serious of which occurred during the first week of the crisis, when hydrogen explosions caused considerable damage to Units 1, 2, and 3. As the level of radioactivity being released has subsided, radiation levels in the environment have trended downward, with occasional spikes of activity. The focus remains on controlling the reactors and containing the radioactivity. Putting the many safety systems back into service will take much longer.