Fukushima Fuel Removal Effort Stopped

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced on August 22 that it has suspended its efforts to remove nuclear fuel debris from the Fukushima nuclear power plant following a series of setup errors. During a press conference, a TEPCO official revealed that the company is investigating the mistakes made in the sequence of connecting pipes necessary for the operation. The company did not specify when it would resume the removal efforts, stating that no attempts would be made on Friday. The halted operation involved the use of a remotely controlled telescopic device, which was inserted just before the connection to the reactor containment vessel. TEPCO discovered that the order of five pipes linked to the device was incorrect, prompting the immediate cessation of work. The Fukushima prefectural government has expressed concern over the incident, urging TEPCO to implement measures to prevent similar errors in the future, as such mistakes heighten anxiety among local residents. TEPCO President Tomoaki Kobayakawa emphasized the importance of conducting the work safely and steadily rather than rushing the process. The current experimental effort aimed to remove a small quantity of nuclear fuel debris—up to 3 grams—from reactor No. 2 as a test. However, the overall situation remains critical, with an estimated 880 tons of fuel debris still present in reactors Nos. 1 to 3, following the catastrophic events triggered by the tsunami and earthquake on March 11, 2011.