Camera Failure at Fukushima N-plant Likely Caused by Overcurrent due to Strong Radiation; No Prospect of Resuming Operation

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:16 JST, September 27, 2024

Cameras attached to a device used to retrieve radioactive debris from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant likely failed due to overcurrent caused by strong radiation, according to Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.

The cameras have been moved to a metal containment box outside the reactor containment vessel of the plant’s No. 2 reactor, and no abnormalities were visible on their exteriors, TEPCO said at a regular press conference Thursday.

TEPCO will try to restore the cameras by turning them on and off remotely at intervals of a few days until around Oct. 3.

As the cameras may need to be replaced, there is no prospect of resuming operations.

The company planned to collect the debris remotely while viewing footage of it from the cameras because of high radiation levels inside the containment box.

On Sept. 17, it was discovered that an issue had disabled two of the four cameras attached to the device.