Contrary to the government’s previous assurances, the crippled nuclear power plant in Japan still is leaking lethal amounts of radiation.

 

The owner of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO), said Monday that record high levels of radiation (10 sieverts per hour) had been detected between the No. 1 and No. 2 reactors. In June, company officials discovered levels of three to four sieverts per hour inside No. 1.

 

The news flies in the face of what the government has said about radiation levels around the plant falling to “two-millionths” of the peak recorded in mid-March.

 

Despite the high radiation readings, government and TEPCO officials insist the plant will reach a safe state of cold shutdown by January.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Record High Radiation at Crippled Japan Nuke Plant (Agence France-Presse)

Fatal Radiation Level Found at Japanese Plant (by Martin Fackler, New York Times)