The Japanese government and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings have set a 30- to 40-year cleanup goal.
The 2011 earthquake and tsunami severely damaged the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. The disaster caused cooling system failures and meltdowns in three reactors, leaving an estimated 880 tons of melted fuel inside. Now, 13 years later, a new project aims to analyze and retrieve some of that fuel.
Recovery of melted fuel. For the first time, a robot has successfully extracted a sample of melted fuel from Fukushima’s No. 2 primary reactor, allowing researchers to study how the plant’s materials have degraded over time.
The Telesco Robot. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), the company managing Fukushima, deployed a specialized robot called Telesco to retrieve the sample. Telesco, which has a telescopic arm and gripper, cut a piece of the melted fuel and transported it to a secure container on the surface for further analysis.
What if there’s radioactivity? If TEPCO detects significant radioactivity in the sample, Telesco will need to return to the reactor to retrieve additional samples. According to ABC News, TEPCO officials stated that each sample must weigh less than 0.10 ounces for safe handling and storage, sufficient for gathering data.
Mission delays. Although this is the first successful retrieval of melted fuel, the mission—originally planned for August—was delayed due to a procedural error and the failure of two of the robot’s cameras.
The cleanup process. The Japanese government and TEPCO aim to complete the cleanup within 30 to 40 years, though experts warn it may take longer. They also note that there’s currently no plan for final disposal of the fuel debris.
Last year, the government approved the release of treated wastewater from Fukushima into the sea, involving some 10,000 tanks of radioactive water.
Other reactors. The government recently restarted another reactor affected by the Fukushima disaster. However, on Monday, Tohoku Electric Power Co., the company responsible for the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant, halted operations at the No. 2 reactor due to an issue with measuring equipment, according to The Japan Times.
Images | IAEA
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