Tokyo electric company to cover leaking Fukushima reactor

Japanese authorities to seal off nuclear reactor in efforts to decrease radioactive emissions from leaking power plant.

By REUTERS
japanese nuclear plant 311 R (photo credit: REUTERS)
japanese nuclear plant 311 R
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) reveals what could be a major step in bringing the leaking Fukushima nuclear power plant under control.
The plan is to cover and seal the whole building with an insulation structure using vinyl chloride coated polyester resin sheets.
RELATED:Tokyo Electric compensation plan gets cabinet OKUN urges Japan nuclear safety overhaul after Fukushima
TEPCO said the cover will help reduce radioactive emissions.
TEPCO spokesman Junichi Matsumoto said, "We will use materials that have maximum insulation capacity to cover and seal the whole building, and we expect this structure to help us reduce the radioactive substances diffusing from the reactor."
All the work will be carried out by a remote-controlled crane in an effort to reduce health risks to engineers.
The work to piece together the sections of the cover will start on June 27 at reactor number 1, in a move to get the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl under control.