Gov't, TEPCO reiterate goal to bring Fukushima plant under control by January

i would hope it is true but i somehow think not. i am no scientist but from what i`ve read i wonder if it is possible.

"shutdown by mid-January." pls be more specific...January 2012? ~ 2030? usually we get long term forecast these days whether it is global economy or global waming.

Everyone must keep in mind who is doing the talking here about "goals". It isn't Kagawa or Honda that's for sure.

I am relatively sure that both TEPCO and whomever is the new PM in January will have another excuse on hand to explain away their incompetence.

Nothing surprising here. The plan to bring the crippled plant under control was totally unrealistic in the first place and was just proposed to calm down the public. Who knows if they ever gonna get the thing under control. Just take a look at the Chernobyl plant in what condition it remains today, 25 years after its disaster.

I wish them luck. But don't forget it will take another three years(still dangerous and leaking)for them to be dismantled and taken away. Only problem is...they have nowhere to put the highly radioactive nuclear waste once dismantled. Good excuse for them though, if the get behind schedule.

Sure, Tepco has shown itself to be a truthful and honest company that lives up to its promises

Assuming that the rods were in some sort of containment and not radioactive melted slag then it would be possible.

The truth is NOT being told..........

Emergency work has been hit by snags in a system to decontaminated massive amounts of radioactive water left from reactor cooling operations

Wasn't there an article by Kurion Systems yesterday, boasting how well the system was working with great support from TEPCO? Whoops!

and @asagao - closer to 30 years to dismantle and take away, not 3.

The rods are contained by corrosive salt water. Their shapes may be a little melted...but hey, they have a roadmap!

It has been reported on a Fukushima nuclear worker's blog that the radiation is appearing in locations away from the reactors ie steam is being released from groundwater and in some areas at a rate of 10,000 milisieverts an hour!

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/nagaikenji20070927/e/26ea73eff5b8b8d698d21dc57d1b10ba

(in Japanese)

This is not official govt news so the credibility might be suspect........read at your own discretion

Believe it when I see it

You people in Japan are doomed by the lies and idiocy of the government, Tepco, SMBC for funding these people continuously, and your own overly submissive culture.

WAKE UP!!!

It can't happen soon enough. Japan -- all of Japan -- is now the most radioactive country on Earth. (But don't expect media coverage.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFmUhkC7lMQ

Remember that they don't even know where the fuel is that melted through the concrete floor of one of the containment structures. They don't know if it's being cooled. That probably accounts for the radioactive steam.

@Frank E. Daulton

The video you linked to is set to private.

Will the world continue to import products (electronics, cars, etc) from Japan when they are contaminated with radiation?

Nobody is really mentioning plutonium in all this. Is it a banned word? Is there none in the who nuclear power station?

Good article in Al Jazeera. Worth reading if you haven't already. http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/08/201181665921711896.html

I wonder what they mean stable “cold shutdown” by January. What are the requirements to meet this stable condition??

Here are the things I come up with.

Fix the broken ducts Fix the cracked containers Replace partially melted rods within reactors Turn off the vents -Dispose the sea water/contaminated water inside the reactors Clean up the ducts and containers Fix the power lines for cooling system Stabilize the temperature inside the facilities Renovate the roofs Minimize/lower overall radiation level within the reactors and the premises (close to zero)

I don't even know where they are now, and how much little progress they will make from now if given 4 more months.

Two of the reactors were in a "Shutdown" state. Nuclear fuel is never cold that why they keep in the cold water "ponds" or "pools". Question is then what? Are they going to seal the plant like Chernobyl? Are they going seal off an area 600 sq miles like Chernobyl? Are they going to ban eating wild games from forest of the fallout zones as many areas in Europe? Don't seem to be doing anything for public protections....