GERMANY: Germany sends huge pump to Japan to help cool Fukushima nuclear plant

Record ID: 215924

  • Title: GERMANY: Germany sends huge pump to Japan to help cool Fukushima nuclear plant
  • Date: 1st April 2011
  • Summary: STUTTGART, GERMANY (MARCH 31, 2011) (REUTERS) ANTONOV AN-124-100 FREIGHT PLANE PARKED ON TARMAC AT STUTTGART AIRPORT FORKLIFT OPERATING NEAR PLANE'S WHEELS PLANE'S OPEN CARGO DOOR VARIOUS OF WORKERS CHECKING SUPPORTS UNDERNEATH CARGO DOOR CARGO DOOR OPENING TRUCK CARRYING CONCRETE PUMP (CAPABLE OF PUMPING WATER) "PUTZMEISTER M 62-6" ARRIVING WITH ESCORT CAR VARIOUS
  • Embargoed: 16th April 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany, Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: International Relations,Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA7KPCRQDC40DEZZBV7AQMCQG72
  • Story Text: Germany sent a huge water pump to Japan on Thursday (March 31) in efforts to battle the world's worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl in 1986.
    The truck-mounted "Putzmeister" pump, originally designed for concrete but capable of pumping water, can transport up to 160 cubic metres of liquid per hour, according to its makers.
    Once installed in Fukushima, it will be used to cool the damaged Daiichi nuclear reactors.
    "We already have experience in difficult situations," said the manager for "Putzmeister" concrete pumps, Markus Gehrt.
    "Our pumps are also tested in pumping water and we also have experience in critical situations because in Chernobyl, our pumps were used to cure the damages there," Gehrt said as workers behind him were busy manoeuvring the truck with six axles into the Antovov plane's hold.
    A similar pump arrived at the accident site in Japan about one week ago and three more "Putzmeister" pumps are expected to arrive in Japan in the next few days, two taken from construction sites in the United States and a further one from Germany.
    "Putzmeister" engineers will hand over the pumps at Tokyo airport to representatives from Tokyo Electric Power Co., the operators of the ill-fated Fukushima plant.
    Japanese engineers are struggling to gain control of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo, which was seriously damaged by a March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
    Two of the six reactors at the plant, operated by (TEPCO), are considered stable but the other four are volatile and once under control will be scrapped.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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