Japan’s crippled nuclear plant reaches stability

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TOKYO (AP) — Japan says the crippled reactors at its

tsunami-damaged nuclear power plant have reached stability more

than four months ago after the disaster.

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Trade and industry minister Banri Kaieda also says the plant

operators are making steady progress to bring the reactors to a

cold shutdown within six months.

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Officials describing progress at the plant on Tuesday said

radiation around the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant has decreased from

peak levels.

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Officials based their assessment on several milestones.

Temperatures at the bottom of reactor pressure vessels are no

longer climbing. A makeshift system to process contaminated water

works properly after initial problems. And nitrogen injections are

helping prevent more explosions.

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The damage at the plant caused by the March 11 tsunami triggered

the world’s worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl.

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