Huge cargo plane transports £2million remote control truck...

Massive cargo plane transports £2m remote-controlled concrete pump to stricken Japanese nuclear plant

By WIL LONGBOTTOM
Last updated at 12:53 PM on 9th April 2011

• 95-ton pump could also bury damaged reactors in concrete
• Two of vast concrete pumps being flown to Fukushima plant to avert nuclear disaster
• Japanese government bans growing of rice in vicinity of crippled plant
• Soil containing high levels of radioactive cesium found in two locations

A massive Russian cargo plane has been used to pick one of the world's largest concrete pumps to pour water on the stricken nuclear power plant in Japan.

The 95-ton pump is mounted on a 26-wheel truck and can be operated from two miles away by remote control, allowing it to shoot water into the damaged reactors.

If necessary, it could also be used to entomb one of the damaged nuclear reactors in concrete.

Rescue giant: A $2million concrete pump is loaded on to a special Russian cargo plane in Atlanta, Georgia

Into the belly of the beast: The massive pump can be remote-controlled from two miles away and could pour water into previously inaccessible parts of the Fukushima plant

High tech: If necessary, the pump could also be used to bury reactors in concrete

Dave Adams, CEO of Putzmeister America, the Wisconsin-based company which manufactures the pump, said: 'Our whole company fells hopeful that our equipment can be used to make a difference in helping solve the problem.'

Japanese authorities have struggled to cool the plant's reactors after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami knocked out its backup cooling systems.

The stricken plant is believed to have suffered a partial meltdown of its nuclear fuel after desperate attempts to cool the reactors failed.

It comes as the Japanese government announced it would ban farmers from planting rice into soil contaminated by radiation from the nuclear power plant.

95-ton: The heavy-duty machinery is one of two being flown to Japan to try and avert the nuclear crisis in Fukushima

Leviathan: Engineers in Japan have struggled to pump water into the reactors at the plant to keep them cool, resulting in the release of radioactive particles

The ban will apply to any soil found to contain high levels of radioactive cesium. Farmers who cannot grow rice will be compensated.

So far, soil that exceeds the new limit has only been found in two places in Iitate, around 25 miles from Fukushima.

Agriculture minister Michihiko Kano said: 'We had to come up with a policy quickly because we are in planting season.

'Following this, I want to hear the opinions of experts and local officials on how to remediate the soil.'

High levels of seawater contamination around the plant prompted Japan to set limits on the amount of radiation permitted in fish for the first time.

The contamination levels have since decreased after plant workers managed to plug a leak in one of the reactors.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1375120/Massive-cargo-plane-transports-2m-remote-controlled-concrete-pump-stricken-Japanese-nuclear-plant.html#ixzz1J1vvxsEo