12 Years On: Work Underway for Fukushima N-Plant Treated Water Release

Fukushima, March 2 (Jiji Press)--Preparation work is underway for releasing into the ocean treated water from Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc.'s <9501> Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, which suffered a triple reactor meltdown 12 years ago.

While undertaking decommissioning work, plant workers were making preparations for the planned waste water release, which is expected to start around spring or summer at the plant, knocked out by the March 2011 major earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan hard.

When a Jiji Press reporter visited a hill within the plant site in late January, the No. 1. reactor building remained uncovered, showing steel frames, exposed since a hydrogen explosion at the time of the nuclear accident.

The No. 1 and No. 2 reactors still have some 1,000 nuclear fuel assemblies, including spent ones.

Although TEPCO is working on transporting the fuel assemblies, no progress was seen from outside the reactor buildings.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]