Fukushima plant reactor temperature rises

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) on February 12 said the thermometer of the No. 2 reactor at Fukushima 1 nuclear power plant increased by 82 degrees.

>>>The temperature at Fukushima No.1 reactor increased

Fukushima nuclear power plant.

TEPCO thinks it is likely that the thermometer is broken because the cooling of the reactor is still underway. However, it does not deny the possibility of a true rise in temperature, so to proceed with cooling, the plant added water to the reactor at 3:30.

According to TEPCO, the measured temperature of one of the three thermometers placed at the bottom of the furnace was only 82 degrees Celsius at 2:15.

Since December 2011, TEPCO has declared that the reactor has reached a 'cooling off state' - referring to the steady state of the reactor. And the current measured temperature is at the maximum level of the cooling stop state.

With the statement of "cooling-off status" , TEPCO does not have to comply with the regulations of the Japan Atomic Energy Safety Agency (NISA) on the principle of managing reactor operations such as ensuring heat degree below 80 degrees C.

Exceeding this threshold of 2 degrees Celsius has been reported by TEPCO to NISA.