The NHK report showing on the reactor said that the radioactive water
leak came from a holding tank for spent fuel rods. That's appalling!
What is even worse is that this holding tank appears to be an
above-ground large steel box-like structure. Maybe the video image
was off, and they were talking about the holding tank while they
displayed some other steel box elsewhere in the facility. But if that
is where they hold spent fuel, they are crazy. As far as I know, US &
European spent-rod pools and containers are massive concrete lined
structures below ground. I will bet you couldn't make one leak with
anything short of a tactical nuclear bomb. See:
http://www.nrc.gov/waste/spent-fuel-storage/pools.html
- Jed
