Nuclear Fuel Debris Sample Removed At Fukushima Plant; Material To Be Analyzed Ahead Of Full-Scale Removal

The No. 2 reactor of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant
15:54 JST, November 7, 2024
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. successfully removed a small amount of nuclear fuel debris from the No. 2 reactor of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant on Thursday.
The experimental removal is the first time that debris has been sampled since the 2011 nuclear accident at the plant. The debris will be analyzed and used as a reference for conducting full-scale removal in the future.

A resin container holding the removed debris
According to TEPCO, the debris had been stored in a small aluminum box in a metal enclosure connected to the reactor containment vessel since Wednesday. At around 11:40 a.m. on Thursday, the box was placed in a special resin container. At this point, TEPCO considers the test removal to be complete.
The Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant accident involved meltdowns in the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 reactors. An estimated 880 tons of debris was generated when the melted nuclear fuel was mixed with melted parts of the reactor structure. The debris is believed to measure about 5 millimeters and weigh less than 3 grams.
The debris sample is to be transported to the Japan Atomic Energy Agency’s institute in Ibaraki Prefecture, which will analyze the composition and hardness of the debris for several months to a year, with its findings to be used in the selection of methods and tools for full-scale removal of the debris in the early 2030s.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
World War II Battleship Yamato Was Outdated From the Start; Unable to Compete With Newly Developed Warplanes
-
Nankai Trough Megaquake Estimated Death Toll Lowered, Tsunami-hit Area Increased in Govt Report
-
Cherry Blossoms Reach Full Bloom in Tokyo; Ueno Park Draws Many Viewers
-
Cherry Blossoms Officially in Bloom in Tokyo, Beating Last Year’s Date by 5 Days
-
2025 Expo Osaka: Tokyo Police on High Alert Ahead of Opening; Officials Cautious over Possibility of Lone Offenders, Cyberattacks
JN ACCESS RANKING