OWOE - Nuclear Power - What is a nuclear meltdown?
Figure 1 - Attempting to Control the Fukushimi Meltdown
Figure 1 - Attempting to Control the Fukushimi Meltdown
What is a nuclear meltdown?
Topic updated: 2015-09-01
A nuclear meltdown is a severe accident caused by failure of a nuclear power plant's cooling system. Without cooling water the radioactive fuel heats uncontrollably and can melt through the containment system. Once the containment is breached, the radioactive material can escape into the air and water, resulting in radioactive contamination and fallout. To prevent such failures, modern plants have multiple safety systems in place to maintain cooling water. In response to the Fukushima-Daichi disaster in Japan in 2011, new design rules have been developed and plants are being upgraded.
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