News is sketchy regarding an explosion "heard" at the Unit 2 reactor at Fukushima where some fuel rods remain exposed. Just 50 workers remain on the site. At a Tepco press conference reference was made to a loss of pressure inside the waste water pool - possibly caused by a leak. Tepco officials were grilled by a now skeptical news corps. More at The Telegraph.
The nuclear crisis in Japan that arose from the deadly earthquake and tsunami could raise worries about the safety of nuclear power generally and hurt stock prices of some U.S. nuclear companies on Monday. CanadianBusinessOnline
Stocks of solar power providers rose Monday as questions about nuclear energy safety arose over a damaged power plant in Japan. Businessweek
Exelon, Entergy Decline on Japan Reactor Meltdown Threat. Businessweek
Linda Gunter on Morning Joe: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/#42068432
Paul Gunter on Fox News:
http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2011/3/13/paul-gunter-on-fox-news.html
and on Imus
http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/4583892/japan-racing-against-time-on-nuclear-catastrophe
Paul Gunter on CNN:
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/11/video-possible-radioactive-leak-in-japan/?iref=allsearch
Kevin Kamps on RT:
10:03 PM UK, Monday March 14, 2011
The plea comes after water levels were restored in the ailing reactor, but the rods remained partially exposed - increasing the risk of radiation and a potential meltdown.
The former deputy director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) told Sky News that the status of the unit 2 reactor may deteriorate even more. "I think the situation is still very, very grim - we are by far not over the worst," Olli Heinonen said.
Meanwhile, France's ASN nuclear safety authority said the nuclear accident in Japan could be classed as level 5 or 6 on the international scale of 1 to 7 - on par with the 1979 US Three Mile Island meltdown.
Sky News' Anna Botting, in Sendai, says the authorities are warning people not to drink tap water and to take iodine to help prevent the threat of thyroid cancer.
Specialists are now considering spraying water directly on the hermetically-sealed container in an attempt to cool it.
March 14, 2011