The Ice-Wall Go-eth – Japan Scraps Fukushima Freezing Plan

On the heels of our previous aggregation of all things Fukushima, we were ‘shocked’ to see the flashing red headline tear across the Bloomberg exclaiming that “The Japanese government has decided to abandon the ‘frozen water wall’ solution to Fukushima’s meltdown.” When they unveiled this “Game of Thrones”-esque 1.4km long ice-wall a year ago, we snarkily wished them luck, questioning their sanity. Of course, we got a hint when 2 months ago, TEPCO admitted that “we have yet to form an ice plug because we can’t get the temperature low enough to freeze the water.” For now, there is no Plan B – though we ‘wasting’ JPY 32 billion on so far is helping GDP.

As Bloomberg reports, the Japanese government is seeking other methods to block radioactive water in an underground trench at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant from leaking into the ocean because the freezing plan is not effective, Sankei newspaper reports, citing an unidentified government official.

Nuclear Regulation Authority will hold a meeting on Aug. 19 to discuss whether to continue using freezing method: Sankei

Trench-freezing project is using the same technology as a plan to completely surround reactor basements by freezing soil into underground ice wall: Sankei

Plant operator Tokyo Electric is investigating other methods to block contaminated water in trench, spokeswoman Mayumi Yoshida says by phone

Call to Japan’s Trade Ministry by Bloomberg News wasn’t immediately returned

Via TEPCO (Google Translate)

…the problem that does not freeze “wall of ice” even after more than three months, and see the effect on dry ice or ice you are introduced from the end of July because it is not, the 13th, it was found that the government consider giving up of “wall of ice”, and began to explore the method of another. According to government officials, review meetings by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was held on the 19th, and that decide the propriety of the continuation of the freezing method.

In order to stem the contaminated water flowing into the trench of the sea from the side of Unit 2 turbine building, wall of ice, construction method are arranged cement bags to the junction, and to freeze the surrounding water is passed through a frozen pipe. Began to flow the refrigerant to freeze tube from the end of April, but not freezing water temperature is high, and began the introduction of ice from July 30. ?

However, there is no effect even when 15 tons placed for 1 day Ice was increased to 27 tons up to 7 Nov., but it did not freeze. ?Ice was put into up to 12 days amounting to a total of about 250 tons. Voted one tons in the 7th and dry ice, but it postponed the closing clogged the small pipe, was resumed on the 12th. ?That wall of ice does not freeze, it has been pointed out from the experts also review meeting regulatory committee.