The operator of Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), has encountered a new technical hurdle, forcing them to halt an operation aimed at removing a sample of highly radioactive material. This setback highlights the immense challenges associated with decommissioning the facility, which was devastated by a catastrophic tsunami in 2011.
Extracting the estimated 880 tons of highly radioactive fuel and debris from the former power station remains the most daunting task in the decommissioning process. The levels of radioactivity inside the plant are far too high for human entry, prompting engineers to employ an extendable device to attempt the removal of a small sample earlier this month. However, TEPCO was forced to suspend the procedure on Tuesday after discovering that the remote cameras attached to the apparatus were failing to transmit images back to the control center.
“We are investigating the cause of the problem,” TEPCO spokesperson Tatsuya Matoba told AFP. “We need to find out the cause of the trouble before resuming.” TEPCO had initially planned to begin the operation on August 22, aiming to collect three grams (0.1 ounces) of the radioactive material for analysis. However, prior technical issues resulted in a delay.
The Fukushima disaster occurred when a tsunami triggered by Japan’s largest earthquake on record overwhelmed the facility, leading to meltdowns in three of its six reactors. This event stands as one of the world’s worst nuclear accidents. Japan began releasing some of the 540 Olympic swimming pools’ worth of reactor cooling water accumulated since the catastrophe into the Pacific Ocean last year. China and Russia responded by banning Japanese seafood imports, despite Tokyo’s assurances that the discharge is safe, a view supported by the UN atomic agency.
In an effort to promote food products from the Fukushima region, TEPCO launched an initiative this month that saw London’s luxurious department store Harrods begin selling peaches grown in the affected area.
