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The decommissioning of reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant will be a long and difficult road. The government and Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. must steadily proceed with the work with a strong determination to complete the decommissioning process.
TEPCO has collected melted nuclear fuel debris from the No. 2 reactor at the nuclear power plant. This is the first time debris has been retrieved since the accident occurred at the plant 13½ years ago. The decommissioning work, which will continue for decades, has just reached the beginning of what is considered to be the most difficult part of the process.
TEPCO initially planned to begin the work in August. However, the work stumbled from the start when it was discovered that the pipes that would be used to push the extraction device into the reactor had been connected in the wrong order.
TEPCO then resumed the work in September, but at that time the work was forced to halt because the cameras stopped functioning in midstream. It is presumed this situation was caused by an anomaly in the electrical circuits under high radiation levels.
It can be said that this is a clear indication of the difficulty in stably promoting operations at the decommissioning site.
The decommissioning of reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is a challenge unprecedented in the world, and it is inevitable that the decommissioning work will continue to face unknown obstacles in the future. In addition to TEPCO, cooperation from other entities, including related manufacturers and subcontractors, will also be indispensable in the decommissioning operations.
To oversee this complex project, TEPCO will have to learn lessons from its past failures and promote a review of its management system and technological development, among other measures.
Currently, a total of as much as 880 tons of debris remains in the plant’s Nos. 1-3 reactors. The debris successfully collected this time is only a tiny piece, weighing only 0.7 grams, and it is not clear whether the piece reflects the characteristics of the debris as a whole.
It was sent to a research institute in Ibaraki Prefecture to be analyzed for factors such as its composition and hardness. The results will be used to determine the debris retrieval method and the design of a storage container. If the quantity or quality is not sufficient, TEPCO should consider collecting another sample.
Different methods are being considered for full-scale debris retrieval, including the “submersion method,” which involves submerging and covering the entire reactor building with water and the “filling and solidification method” to stabilize the debris with filler and then drill it. Both of these methods are much more extensive and difficult than the current experimental retrieval process.
Although the government has set a goal of completing the decommissioning of the reactors at the plant by 2051, the current situation is three years behind the schedule of the original plan. It may be inevitable to review the plan at some point in the future. In that case, it is essential to thoroughly explain the costs that will be required and impacts that will occur.
Firstly, TEPCO needs to do its utmost to make all preparations for the full-scale retrieval of the debris.
