Japanese regulators are conducting final inspections before treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant is released into the Pacific Ocean.
ByMari Yamaguchi Associated Press
A device used to dilute water with sea water is shown to the media at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Fukushima, northern Japan, Monday, June 26, 2023. All equipment needed to release treated radioactive wastewater into the ocean at the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant has been completed and it will be ready for a safety inspection by Japanese regulators this week, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co Holdings said on Monday. Because there is ongoing opposition to the plan inside and outside Japan over security concerns. ap)
The Associated Press
Tokyo — Japanese regulators on Wednesday began final inspections before treated radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant is released into the Pacific Ocean.
The inspection began a day after plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings installed the final equipment needed for the evacuation – the outlet of an undersea tunnel dug to drain the wastewater 1 kilometer (1,094 yards) away.
TEPCO said Nuclear Regulation Authority inspectors had until Friday to examine equipment related to the treated water transfer and its safety systems as part of their three-day inspection. A water release permit could be issued about a week later, and TEPCO could begin releasing water shortly thereafter, although an exact date has not been set.
The plan has faced strong opposition from local fishing groups concerned about safety and reputational damage. The government and TEPCO promised in 2015 not to release the waters without the fishermen community’s consent, but many in the fishermen community say the plan went ahead regardless. Neighboring South Korea, China and some Pacific island nations have also raised security concerns.
Government and utility officials say the wastewater, which is currently stored in about 1,000 tanks at the plant, must be removed to prevent any accidental leaks and make room to shut down the plant. He says the treated but still slightly radioactive water will be diluted to levels safer than international standards and slowly released into the ocean over decades, rendering it harmless to people and marine life.
Some scientists say that the effect of long-term, low-dose exposure to radionuclides is unknown and that the release should be delayed. Others say the release plan is safe, but more transparency is needed, including allowing outside scientists to be involved in sampling and monitoring the release.
Japan has sought support from the International Atomic Energy Agency to gain credibility and ensure safety measures are in line with international standards. The IAEA has sent several missions to Japan since early 2022, and its final assessment report is expected soon, although the organization has no power to halt the plan. IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi is expected to visit Japan in early July to meet Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and tour the plant.
On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami destroyed the cooling system at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, causing three reactors to melt down and contaminate their cooling water and continue to leak. The water is collected, treated and stored in tanks, which will reach their capacity in early 2024.
