Japan nuclear watchdog asks Fukushima plant operator to assess risk from reactor damage
https://apnews.com/article/fukushima-reactor-damage-japan-nuclear-b04bd3c44b501a3939cf390db80994ed
TOKYO (AP) — A nuclear watchdog has asked the operator of Japan’s wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant to assess possible risks resulting from damage that was found in a key supporting structure inside one of the three melted reactors.
A robotic probe sent inside the Fukushima Daiichi plant's Unit 1 primary containment chamber found that its pedestal — the main supporting structure directly under its core — was extensively damaged. Most of its thick concrete exterior was missing, exposing the internal steel reinforcement.