TEPCO Removes 2nd Sample of Debris from Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant; Sample Collected at Different Location From 1st Debris Removal

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:21 JST, April 23, 2025

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. successfully retrieved a small amount of nuclear fuel debris from the No. 2 reactor of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant on Wednesday.

This is the second fuel debris trial retrieval following the first retrieval last November.

According to TEPCO, the sample from the second retrieval was collected at a different location from the first retrieval. TEPCO plans to analyze and compare the samples to determine things such as the condition inside the reactor.

TEPCO said it took the sample from the reactor containment vessel, and put it in a resin container at a metal space outside the reactor at 10:15 a.m., completing the second retrieval.

By operating a retrieval robot arm differently from the first time, TEPCO collected debris that was 1 or 2 meters closer to the center bottom of the containment vessel than the first retrieval. The debris is believed to be 7 millimeters or smaller and 3 grams or lighter.

The collected debris will be transported to an analysis facility of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture.

TEPCO plans to use a robot arm that can be operated for a wider range in the next retrieval.