Vital stats of the Fukushima Nuclear Plants

As there has been some incorrect and/or incomplete information being circulated regarding the details of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plants in this post I have translated the vital details of the various reactors of both Fukushima Plant #1 and #2 from their official profile pages at the Tokyo Power Company (which is their owner) website.

Apologies for the bizarre amount of white space, something wacky with the table HTML I can’t fix now, but the information itself is completely legible.

In both tables, the numbered columns refer to the individual reactors of the plants. For example, Plant #1, Reactor #1, etc.

Profile of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Number One: (福島第一原子力発電所)

This was the first nuclear power plant build and operated by the company. It covers an area 75 times as large as Tokyo Dome, about 350,000 square meters.

Reactor #1

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6


C
O
R

S
P
E
C
S

Output(万kW) 46.0 78.4 78.4 78.4 78.4 110.0
Construction start 1967/9 1969/5 1970/10 1972/9 1971/12 1973/5
1971/3 1974/7 1976/3 1978/10 1978/4 1979/10
Reactor type Boiling Water Reactor(BWR)
Containment Vessel Mark I マークII
% made in Japan 56 53 91 91 93 63
Primary contractor GE GE・Toshiba Toshiba Hitachi Toshiba GE・Toshiba
R
E
A
C
T
O
R
Heat output(10,000s kW) 138 238.1 329.3
Fuel assemblies(#) 400 548 764
Fuel assemblies(length in m) ~4.35 ~4.47 ~4.47
Control Rods(#) 97 137 185
Pressure vessel Gauge(m) ~4.8 ~5.6 約6.4
Total height(m) ~20 ~22 23
Total weight(metric tons) 440 500 750
Container vessel Total height(m) ~32 ~33 ~34 ~48
Cylinder diameter(m) ~10 ~11 ~10(Upper part)
Spherical diameter(m) ~18 ~20 ~25(Lower part)
Pressure control pool volume(metric tons) 1,750 2,980 3,200

T
U
R
B
I
N
E
Rotation speed (rpm) 1,500
Intake steam temp(℃) 282
Steam pressure(kg/cm2g) 66.8

F
U
E
L
Type Uranium dioxide
Uranium capacity(t) 69 94 132
Fuel assemblies(#) 400 548 764

Profile of Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant Number Two: (福島第二原子力発電所)

#1 #2 #3 #4
C
O
R

S
P
E
C
S

 

Electrical output(10,000 kW) 110.0 110.0 110.0 110.0
Construction start 1975/11 1979/2 1980/12 1980/12
Operation start 1982/4 1984/2 1985/6 1987/8
Reactor type Boiling Water Reactor(BWR)
Containment Vessel Mark II Mark II revised
% made in Japan 98 99 99 99
Primary Contractor Toshiba Hitachi Toshiba Hitachi
R
E
A
C
T
O
R
Heat output(10,000 kW) 329.3
Fuel assemblies(#) 764
Fuel assembly total height(m) ~4.5
Control Rods(#) 185
Pressure Vessel Gauge(m) ~6.4
Total height(m) ~23
Total weight (metric tons) ~750
Container vessel Total height(m) ~48
Diameter(m) ~26 ~29
Pressure control pool volume (metric tons) 3,400 4,000

T
U
R
B
I
N
E
Rotational speed(rpm) 1,500
Input steam temp(℃) 282
Steam pressure(kg/cm2g) 66.8
F
U
E
L
Type Uranium Dioxide
Uranium capacity(metric tons) 132
Fuel assemblies(#) 764
B
U
I
L
D
I
N
G
Nuclear reactor building Height ~58m、subsurface depth~18m(6 surface floors, 2 basement levels)
Turbine building Height above ground ~33m、subsurface depth ~5m
Waste treatment building(Shared facility) Height ~41m、subsurface depth ~18m(6 surface floors, 2 basement levels)
Central exhaust tower Height ~120m、altitude ~150m

23 thoughts on “Vital stats of the Fukushima Nuclear Plants”

  1. It isn’t just the reactor – the amount of information which is easily available on Google News in Japanese but still not being reported in major English outlets is stunning.

    This morning, two UK newspapers reported that Japanese officials confirmed 80,000 missing – which I take was a serious misreading of the approx. 80,000 number announced for those stuck in Tokyo who had not yet returned home as there has certainly been no public discussion of that number of missing. This was a leading link for Google News in English. People are shocked and hurt when they see junk like this. It is no joke.

    80 workers safely rescued from the dry dock ship that was swept out to sea over 24 hours ago are still “missing” in anecdotes on CNN and other English coverage as of this hour.

    Four missing trains filled with passengers were confirmed safe over 12 hours ago but are still missing in an AP report from 10 minutes ago.

    For anyone who is looking for information – follow Joe’s Twitter link or the blogs.

  2. The problem is the moderately large numbers (maybe 2-3 times as large as verified deaths) reported as 行方不明 (the common term for missing), and the huge numbers described as 連絡取れず (haven’t been able to get in touch with) are both being translated as “missing” without the difference ever being explained. The distinction is, I believe, that the first category of “missing” are individuals or small groups of people who are known to have been trapped, lost, or washed away in some fashion since the initial quake but who have not yet been found alive or dead, while the latter category is usually larger groups of people in buildings, trains, or even entire communities which have been completely off the grid since the quake.

    If anyone has seen a clear explanation of what these terms mean in context it would make for a very useful blog post on its own.

  3. You are totally correct there – I confirmed it with Japanese city hall workers that I know in the south. 連絡取れず means (in Japanese bureaucrat speak) that they are “in the process of contacting”. In the NZ quake reportage, for example, it was initially reported that 300 Japanese were 連絡取れず – over 10 times the actual number of “missing”.

    However, I fear that 南三陸 may be more serious than just that.

    Hearteningly, there are a few areas that were reported as ほぼ全滅 with the vast majority of the population confirmed alive.

    Something else that the English media has been totally missing – Japanese “towns” are not just the built up area near the port, they are huge administrative units. 南三陸, for example, is 170 square kilometers and extends nearly 75 kilometers inland. If 7500 of its 17500 people are confirmed alive and the remainder are 連絡取れず this could very well mean that a majority in the built up area evacuated to schools and larger buildings and are confirmed while the hinterland is a mess, cut off, with both mobile and landline down, but possibly not hard hit and simply hunkering down. There is also a significant mountainous area in the town’s boundaries with an elevation of over 300 meters over 8 peaks. Here’s hoping.

  4. “This morning, two UK newspapers reported that Japanese officials confirmed 80,000 missing”

    Wow, really? I’ve just been watching either the NHK or NHK World live streams, which have, if anything, understated the amount of deaths and missing. From the earthquake in NZ, I take it there is an international standard for determining whether someone is missing (and not just out of touch) and also whether someone is confirmed and identified as dead. From what I gather, cited and confirmed remains that are nevertheless not yet collected by the authorities for identification are not counted in the death toll.

  5. At present, 80,000 is just a baseless figure that people are attributing to “Kyodo via BBC” but nothing like that number has appeared in Kyodo coverage or in Japanese at all.

  6. I definitely saw numbers on that scale being tossed around in reference to “out of communication” rather than “missing.” At one point there was an entire town of 90,000 listed as 連絡取れず but I’m not sure now if it the population was later found en masse. All I can say for sure is that they were NOT found dead or declared officially missing, as those numbers have been climbing at a slow crawl since last night.

  7. “At one point there was an entire town of 90,000 listed as 連絡取れず”

    That’s probably Rikuzen Takada – where I think they have confirmed 200-300 dead.

  8. God.Jake Adelstein is throwing complete sh#t all over on internet.Never trusted a word of that man had written in the past anyway,but the guy is not even in the country at the moment.

    Here’s my advice.Do not.I repeat.Do not use twitter to get information on Fukushima plant.There’s army of reporters in fukushima with geiger counter in their hands and anything happens you’ll find out within an hour.And remember.sane Japanese bureacrat would never leak precious info to Gaijin Yakuza specialist.They go to local press.Rant out.

  9. Also, I know that a lot of us are in the ‘technical dependent’ category of individuals, but do what you can to save electricity. They are saying that there may be rolling blackouts starting from tomorrow (Monday) to make electricity available to affected areas. I would keep an eye on the news today and tomorrow to see if they are more specific about when and how they are going to do it.

  10. This is probably a stupid question for all the regulars here but… who exactly is Joe and/or where can I find said twitter ?

    M-Bone Says:
    For anyone who is looking for information – follow Joe’s Twitter link or the blogs.

  11. @jamesmallon – you might want to read what the WHO says before recommending people stock up on potassium iodide (not that you’re likely to find any significant amounts in Isogin Gargle, but we don’t need folks playing doctor).

    From HERE:

    For adults over 40, the scientific evidence suggests that stable iodine
    prophylaxis not be recommended unless doses to the thyroid from
    inhalation are expected to exceed levels that would threaten thyroid
    function. This is because the risk of radiation induced thyroid carcinoma in
    this group is very low while, on the other hand, the risk of side effects
    increases with age.

  12. Fair enough, and I have amended the post on my blog. Story is that this reduced the thyroid cancer rates in Poland after Chernobyl, though I DO NOT vouch for that.

    Sad thing is that there is no reason to believe the Japanese government, much less Tepco, is forthcoming with information. That said, there are enough Geiger counters around the country linked online to see that we are not in danger in Tokyo, yet. Two days ago I would have said we were in no real danger, but a few more reactors have gone to hell since then. Chernobyl? No. But you cannot like that there are four… or is it more by the time I write this? Understand I am still in Tokyo, though that’s only because in the cost/benefit analysis of getting to Narita with a wife angry to go, and a nine-month old who’ll pick up a virus in the anxious crowd, it does not yet make sense for us to leave.

  13. Here is some info on Lugol’s iodine, available in shops like Sundrugs, as a gargle.

    I got a 600 ml bottle at Costco’s of “Ugaii-gusuri” a while back. It is from the Kenei Seiyaku Co., LTD (ph. 0120-149-931). The iodine content is clearly stated and is quite reasonable. It comes in a handy pump dispenser …

    It has 0.35 milligrams iodine in one metric drop or 7 milligrams in one milliliter. This not as much as commercial Lugol’s from the US. A 3% solution in the US has 1.46mg Iodine per drop, or 4 times as much. You just have to use more, that’s all. It goes well with orange juice, but can also just be taken with water – it is kind of minty.

    You want the iodine in your system (thyroid) before you get exposed. Don’t listen to the media here or wait for tablets to be dispensed after the fact!

    N.B. Test with a small amount first, a few people have allergies to iodine.
    Do not take antiseptic tincture of iodine from your First Aid kit internally! You can paint it on your, skin, however, and it’ll be absorbed.
    Serious dosage information is here, please consult this source:

    http: //goo.gl/OOSfD

    Take care

  14. I’m no doctor but I definitely wouldn’t recommend taking any medication unless you are advised to do so by a medical worker or government official. And more importantly, people buying up these tablets could be straining the supply. driving up the price, and making it more difficult to get in areas where it is needed.

    http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2011/03/facts-about-prices-potassium-iodide-edition.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+marginalrevolution%2Ffeed+%28Marginal+Revolution%29

  15. And one more point – even in a worst case scenario (which looks very, very unlikely at this point) you would have several hours of warning before any radiation got to an urban area.

  16. “Sad thing is that there is no reason to believe the Japanese government, much less Tepco, is forthcoming with information”

    So far both the government and TEPCO is quick to tell the fact that they had so many screwed up,you can at least give them some credits on forthcoming with information.but not the way they handle the crisis.

    My impression is gaijins has some kind of six senses in choosing which government is trustworthy and which is not.Take example with French.They have zero trust on Tokyo,but absolute reliance on Sarkozy governmet which is in my opinion far less reliable when it comes to politically trustworthiness than the government of Naoto Kan.
    I mean.The French foreign minister gets resigned for she’s been sending bilsl to Tunisian dictator for her vacation,Our Maehara resigned for getting donation of 50000yen a year from a Korean woman he knew since childhood.Which is better?

    I also have a feeling both the U.S and UK government were not that honest when it comes to some nuclear power plant business that took place in some where in Mesopotamia,but Americans and Britons almost blindly believe everything their government say on Fukushima power plant.(well not everything,because British Embassy has been saying it’s OK against the wish of many Britons who wants something that resembles The SUN headlines).

    As a Japanese,I would like you to do one big favor that will help us greatly.When you leave,just leave quietly.Don’t act like some village fool spreading fear and distrust on the government and media that is trying everything they can to make things better for those who are actually suffering.

    I think I should tell you the fact that I’m also a member of J-media currently being summoned back to Tokyo HQ for dissaster coverage and working in night shift.So it’s your call to whom you trust.But I’d like to inform you that there has been some argument within the newsroom that we should shift more focus on the situation on the shelter where elderly citizens are actually dying,then the power plant so far haven’t killed anyone.Not exctly sure whether this will be implemented in the next few days though.

  17. @Aceface, regarding your paragraph on the French, I don’t suppose you are familiar with an ‘ad hominem’ argument. As bad as ‘gaijins’ (sic) own media and governments have been, Japan’s governments and institutions have a long history of corruption and incompetence, and the media clubs a similar history of being tame. I do not care if my own country is better or worse at the moment, because I am in Japan. A wise person distrusts all governments, institutions and media, because they serve their own interests, not ours.

    Some of the rest I must agree with: don’t spread fear, and focus on the thousands dead or rendered homeless.

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