TEPCO Maintenance, Repairs With Duct Tape, Bailing Wire And More Orphaned Shoes

This TEPCO photograph of the pedestal area of unit 5 at Fukushima Daiichii. Unit 5 is the same design as units 1-4 and was built last of the BWR units at Fukushima Daiichi. The photograph is interesting in that it shows a rarely photographed area below the reactor vessel. This area is likely heavily damaged in units 1-3 as the fuel melted out of the reactor vessels. The equipment seen within the pedestal is the underside of the control rod systems.

Some repairs have been made. One section of pipe is patched with a piece of plastic sheeting and duct tape. Another with some sort of patch and some sort of clear plastic film or tape. The patched section is then supported with wire. The systems inside the pedestal are the control rod systems, what allows them to control and stop the reactor. The amount of corrosion on bolts and other parts of the system is concerning. This is the newest of the BWR units, what was the condition of the much older units before the accidents?

Full image

Duct tape on control rod system pipes. Notice the rust on the supports and bolts above the tape.

Patched and supported with wire.

Corroded bolts on the control rod system.

TEPCO really has a problem with lost footwear.

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