Fukushima Nuclear Plant to Probe Radioactive Debris in Decommissioning Effort

Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) announced on August 19 that it will conduct a trial removal of radioactive debris from the Fukushima nuclear power plant this week. The initiative aims to retrieve a small sample from the estimated 880 tons of hazardous material believed to be trapped inside the reactors, a critical step in the long-term decommissioning process. Tepco emphasized that safety remains its top priority as it embarks on this complex operation. The Fukushima Daiichi plant, which suffered catastrophic meltdowns following the March 11, 2011 tsunami, has presented significant challenges in debris removal. The disaster, the worst nuclear incident since Chernobyl, resulted in the melting and solidification of fuel and other materials into highly radioactive "fuel debris." Tepco has developed specialized robots to navigate the high radiation levels within the reactors, underscoring the daunting nature of the task ahead. In preparation for the debris removal, Tepco previously deployed mini-drones and a "snake-shaped robot" to assess the conditions inside the reactors. The latest probe, equipped with a robotic arm, is expected to take approximately one week to reach the debris and is scheduled to return with the sample next month. The decommissioning efforts come amid ongoing controversy surrounding the release of treated wastewater from the plant into the Pacific Ocean, a move that has drawn criticism from neighboring countries like China and Russia, which have imposed seafood import bans. Japan maintains that the discharge is safe, a position supported by the UN atomic agency.