Fukushima debris removal delayed until 2037 or later
This latest setback further jeopardises the 2051 decommissioning goal for the plant, where at least 880 tons of melted nuclear fuel remain
The Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (Tepco) said on Tuesday it would need 12 to 15 years of preparation before starting full-scale removal of melted fuel debris at the No 3 reactor. That preparation includes reducing radiation levels and building necessary facilities in and around the reactor.
Overall, at least 880 tons of melted nuclear fuel have mixed with broken parts of internal structures and other debris inside the three reactors that suffered meltdowns at the plant following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
A test retrieval of a tiny sample of melted fuel debris in November was already three years behind, and some experts estimate that the decommissioning work could take more than a century.
Tepco said it plans to stick to the current completion target of 2051.
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“Realistically, we are aware of the difficulty [to achieve the target] but we will not drop the goal just yet, as we still don’t have a clear work schedule after the full-scale removal begins,” said Akira Ono, chief decommissioning officer at Tepco.