Core meltdowns in units 1, 2, and 3[edit]

See also: Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (Unit 1 Reactor), Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
(Unit 2 Reactor), and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (Unit 3 Reactor)

Aerial view of the station in 1975, showing separation between units 5 and 6, and 1–4. Unit 6, not completed
until 1979, is seen under construction.

The amount of damage sustained by the reactor cores during the accident, and the location of
molten nuclear fuel ("corium") within the containment buildings, is unknown; TEPCO has revised its
estimates several times.[57] On 16 March 2011, TEPCO estimated that 70% of the fuel in Unit 1 had
melted and 33% in Unit 2, and that Unit 3's core might also be damaged. [58] As of 2015 it can be
assumed that most fuel melted through the reactor pressure vessel (RPV), commonly known as the
"reactor core", and is resting on the bottom of the primary containment vessel (PCV), having been
stopped by the PCV concrete.[59][60][61][62] In July 2017 a remotely controlled robot filmed for the first time
apparently melted fuel, just below the reactor pressure vessel of Unit 3. [63]
TEPCO released further estimates of the state and location of the fuel in a November 2011 report.
[64]
 The report concluded that the Unit 1 RPV was damaged during the disaster and that "significant
amounts" of molten fuel had fallen into the bottom of the PCV. The erosion of the concrete of the
PCV by the molten fuel after the core meltdown was estimated to stop at approx. 0.7 m (2 ft 4 in) in
depth, while the thickness of the containment is 7.6 m (25 ft) thick. Gas sampling carried out before
the report detected no signs of an ongoing reaction of the fuel with the concrete of the PCV and all
the fuel in Unit 1 was estimated to be "well cooled down, including the fuel dropped on the bottom of
the reactor". Fuel in Units 2 and 3 had melted, however less than in Unit 1, and fuel was presumed
to be still in the RPV, with no significant amounts of fuel fallen to the bottom of the PCV. [needs update] The
report further suggested that "there is a range in the evaluation results" from "all fuel in the RPV
(none fuel fallen to the PCV)" in Unit 2 and Unit 3, to "most fuel in the RPV (some fuel in PCV)". For
Unit 2 and Unit 3 it was estimated that the "fuel is cooled sufficiently". According to the report, the
greater damage in Unit 1 (when compared to the other two units) was due to the longer time that no
cooling water was injected in Unit 1. This resulted in much more decay heat accumulating, as for
about 1 day there was no water injection for Unit 1, while Unit 2 and Unit 3 had only a quarter of a
day without water injection.[64]
In November 2013, Mari Yamaguchi reported for Associated Press that there are computer
simulations that suggest that "the melted fuel in Unit 1, whose core damage was the most extensive,
has breached the bottom of the primary containment vessel and even partially eaten into its concrete
foundation, coming within about 30 cm (1 ft) of leaking into the ground" – a Kyoto University nuclear
engineer said with regard to these estimates: "We just can't be sure until we actually see the inside
of the reactors."[57]
According to a December 2013 report, TEPCO estimated for Unit 1 that "the decay heat must have
decreased enough, the molten fuel can be assumed to remain in PCV (primary containment
vessel)".[59]
In August 2014, TEPCO released a new revised estimate that Reactor 3 had a complete melt
through in the initial phase of the accident. According to this new estimate within the first three days
of the accident the entire core content of Reactor 3 had melted through the RPV and fallen to the
bottom of the PCV.[61][62][65] These estimates were based on a simulation, which indicated that Reactor
3's melted core penetrated through 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) of the PCV's concrete base, and came close to
26–68 cm (10–27 in) of the PCV's steel wall.[60]