How does it compare to the Fukushima nuclear disaster?
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there was less total atmospheric release of radioactivity from the Fukushima accident compared with Chernobyl due to the different accident scenarios and mechanisms of radioactive releases. At Fukushima, there were no explosions within the cores.
How bad was the Fukushima nuclear disaster?
It triggered a tsunami which swept over the main island of Honshu, killing more than 18,000 people and wiping entire towns off the map. At the Fukushima nuclear power plant, the gigantic wave surged over defences and flooded the reactors, sparking a major disaster.
What are nuclear power plants?
Nuclear power plants are a type of power plant that use the process of nuclear fission in order to generate electricity. They do this by using nuclear reactors in combination with the Rankine cycle, where the heat generated by the reactor converts water into steam, which spins a turbine and a generator.
Who built Fukushima nuclear plant?
Tokyo Electric Power Company
Fukushima Dai-Ichi was the first nuclear plant to be constructed and operated entirely by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). Units 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the nuclear complex were damaged in a series of events after the 11 March 2011 earthquake (Tohoku-Chihou-Taiheiyou-Oki Earthquake) and tsunami that struck the nation.
What was the Fukushima nuclear plant used for?
First commissioned in 1971, the plant consists of six boiling water reactors. These light water reactors drove electrical generators with a combined power of 4.7 GWe, making Fukushima Daiichi one of the 15 largest nuclear power stations in the world.
How old was the Fukushima power plant?
How much did the Fukushima disaster cost?
In 2016, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry estimated the total cost of dealing with the Fukushima disaster at ¥21.5 trillion (US$187 billion), almost twice the previous estimate of ¥11 trillion (US$96 billion).
Where did the Fukushima nuclear disaster happen?
The March 11, 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami sparked a humanitarian disaster in northeastern Japan and initiated a severe nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Three of the six reactors at the plant sustained severe core damage and released hydrogen and radioactive materials.
What was the name of the nuclear power plant in Japan?
The Fukushima accident was an accident in 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi (“Number One”) nuclear power plant in Japan. It is the second worst nuclear accident in the history of nuclear power generation, behind the Chernobyl disaster.
Where was the second worst nuclear accident in the world?
Alternative Titles: Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, Fukushima nuclear accident. Fukushima accident, also called Fukushima nuclear accident or Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, accident in 2011 at the Fukushima Daiichi (“Number One”) plant in northern Japan, the second worst nuclear accident in the history of nuclear power generation.
What was the cause of the nuclear accident in Japan?
The Fukushima nuclear facility was a nuclear power plant to convert nuclear energy into electrical energy. The Fukushima nuclear disaster occurred on March 11, 2011. It is the most serious nuclear accident in history after the Chernobyl nuclear accident. The accident was caused by an 8.9-degree earthquake near the northwest coast of Japan.
What was the name of the nuclear power plant that had a meltdown?
At the Fukushima Daiichi (“Number One”) plant in northeastern Honshu, Japan, a loss of main and backup power after an earthquake and tsunami led to a partial meltdown of fuel rods in three reactors.