The Telegraph says that TEPCO has confirmed that there was an explosion between 6:00 am (2100 GMT Monday, 5 pm EDT) and 6:15 am at the Unit 2 reactor of Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant.
It also says that the government reported apparent damage to part of the container shielding the Unit 2 reactor, although it was unclear whether this resulted from the blast.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters the suppression pool of the number-two nuclear reactor appeared to have been damaged. This is the bottom part of the container, which holds water used to cool it down and control air pressure inside.
Edano said “But we have not recorded any sudden jump in radiation indicators.”
In a BWR/4 Mark 1 Reactor the vent pipes or tubes from the drywell direct the steam below the water level maintained in the wetwell (also known as a torus or suppression pool), condensing the steam, limiting the pressure ultimately reached.
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