The highest priority work at Daiichi is the removal of highly radioactive water from of the Unit 2 tunnel and reactor building because it prevents access to equipment areas. Pumping has been taking place around the clock, but the level in the Unit 2 tunnel has not dropped in the last few days. The radiation levels prevent taking any action to identify and stop the additional water from entering the tunnel. Meanwhile water levels in Unit 3 and 4 tunnels are rising and are close to reaching a level which will require removal, but there no storage tanks available. TEPCO will need to resolve the water inventory problem. Water is continuously being added to the Units 1, 2, and 3 reactors to cool the fuel and water is periodically injected into the Units 1, 2, 3, and 4 spent fuel pools. The water is boiling off into steam, collecting in the reactor containment structure, collecting in a spent fuel pool, or leaking out into the tunnels and reactor buildings. Somehow they need to identify, quantify, and resolve the how the water is leaking out.
When the hydrogen explosions destroyed the Unit 1, 3, and 4 reactor buildings, radioactive particles were released and spread across the Daiichi site. TEPCO completed a test which proved a resin sprayed on the ground reduces the spread of contamination from wind and rain. They will begin spraying the entire site using remotely operated equipment.
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