Brave New Climate has an update and analysis of the Fukushima situation
TEPCO has now connected AC cables to the unit 1 and 2 reactor buildings, with hopes that powered systems can be restored to these building by as early as tomorrow (including, it is hoped, the AC core cooling systems), once various safety and equipment condition checks are made.
Tokyo Electric Power Co. said the No. 2 reactor is expected to receive power on Sunday. Restoring a stable source of electricity is considered a key step to prevent further deterioration of the situation, but it remains unclear whether power supplies will help to restore the functions for cooling down the reactor cores or water in the spent fuel tanks at the plant.
Holes were made in the secondary containment buildings of Units 5 and 6 as a precautionary measure, to vent any hydrogen that might accumulate and so prevent explosions in these otherwise undamaged structures. The residual heat removal system for these units has now been brought back on line and these pools maintain a tolerable steady temperature of 60C. More here. These buildings were operating on a single emergency diesel generator, but now have a second electricity supply via the external AC power cable.
Applying a blowtorch to a fuel rod for 50 seconds and getting to 2000 degrees
The fuel rod did not catch fire.
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