3 ms·

> The Elephant’s Foot will be there for centuries Does that mean it won't bleed into water supply before then?

• LeoPanthera 7y ago
  The "foot" is composed of (now) solid material, and sitting on a concrete pad onto which the reactor building was constructed. Around the building is the "New Safe Confinement" structure. So no, it will not bleed out.
  • Hamuko 7y ago
    Does the New Safe Confinement also extend into the ground?
    • gargravarr 7y ago
      It doesn't, but after the disaster, the basement areas were eventually filled with a lot more concrete. It's not just the very thick concrete pad between it and the groundwater, and it no longer generates enough heat to threaten to melt through.
• duxup 7y ago
  Fukushima might provide some insight as to how likely it is a reactor would experience a "China Syndrome" where a meltdown occurs and forms a mass that is hot enough to break through the containment systems in place through to groundwater and etc. Fukushima was not a modern reactor with fewer safeties than most modern systems and even there with an uncontrolled meltdown the "China Syndrome" did not occur. The fuel fused to the sand at the bottom and stopped. I'm not an industry professional but I suspect Fukushima may indicate that the likelihood of a "China Syndrome" type event is less likely than was previously thought.