[the-kenny]

I don't know about the current state of the cooling mechanism, and I don't want to doubt there has been major spills of nuclear water in the past, but why are they so sure that this mist over the sea is caused directly by heat release from nuclear material in the water?

I'd suppose it's warmer-than-normal water that has been through some sort of multi-stage cooling circuit, just like in any other nuclear plant.

[dylanhassinger]

the article says half the cooling circuits are fucked

and that leaks are a huge problem - i.e. waste water bypassing the cleaning systems

agreed that there's no proof the mist is steam. But if a normal nuke plant warms up the water enough that fish come to feed there, not hard to believe that in a crisis some steam could rise.