First Debris Is Retrieved

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) was successful in retrieving a part of debris in the containment vessel of rector #2 of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in November 7th, which had exploded with accident caused by East Japan Great Earthquake in 2011. Although it was only a tiny fragment of melted nuclear fuels, TEPCO regards the retrieve as a great step toward decommission of the reactors. However, the road to complete decommission is still long.

Size of the small debris is less than five millimeters and the weight is less than three grams. The debris was picked up from the bottom of the containment vessel and contained in a small package, stored in a “separation box” set outside of the vessel. TEPCO will send the package to a facility in Ibaraki prefecture for detailed examination of weight or radiation. It took more than thirteen years to retrieve the first debris, since the reactor had accident of losing all electricity hit by a great tsunami.

 

The retrieve should have been started in 2021. But development of a robot arm was delayed and TEPCO postponed its plan to start retrieving the debris for three times. The retrieve in reactor #2 was made with a new device resembling fishing rod, but the work was intervened by some mistakes in building the device up or trouble of camera attached to the device.

 

The total amount of the debris is estimated as 880 metric tons in reactors #1 to #3. TEPCO has a plan to retrieve all the debris until the decommission will be finished in 2051. The retrieve in reactor #2 is not more than testing. It is going to develop further improved device to retrieve the debris and increase the amount of removing the debris not only in reactor #2, but #3 and #1.

 

Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation proposed two kinds of method. One is retrieving the debris with splashing water to them. Another is catching debris after solidifying them with some chemical. It is supposed to start in 2030s. However, it is unclear whether the process is going to be successful, because it will be a job in the place with extremely high radiation.

 

It is estimated that it costs 8 trillion yen to finish the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Plant. Although TEPCO is accumulating funds for the cost, it is appropriated by payment of users of TEPCO’s electricity. The government of Japan financially supports the technological development for decommission.

 

While Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station, which had a severe accident in 1979, has already started retrieving debris, it has not finished the process of decommissioning. Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was covered by sarcophagus to reduce emission of radiation and abandoned without retrieving debris. The people around Fukushima Plant are skeptical about the schedule of decommission.

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