Small sample to aid in planning the safe decommissioning of the nuclear plant, which contains an estimated 880 tons of highly radioactive molten fuel.
A robot has successfully retrieved a piece of radioactive fuel from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant for the first time since the catastrophic meltdown in 2011.
The remote-controlled robot, designated Telesco, utilized its arm, resembling a fishing rod, to collect gravel measuring up to 5mm (0.2 inches) in diameter—approximately the size of a small granola piece—from the surface of a mound of molten fuel debris located at the base of the primary containment vessel of the No. 2 reactor.
After completing its task, the robot returned to a secure container with the melted fuel fragment grasped in its front tongs. Workers in protective hazmat suits extracted it from the containment vessel earlier on Saturday, as reported by the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings. This event signifies the first retrieval of a melted fuel sample from the reactor, representing a significant advancement in the lengthy decommissioning process.
However, the mission will only be deemed complete once it is verified that the sample’s radioactivity is below the established limit and is safely contained. Should the radioactivity exceed the permissible threshold, the robot will be required to re-enter the reactor to obtain an alternative sample. TEPCO officials are optimistic that the current sample is sufficiently small to comply with the requirements. Approximately 880 tons of highly radioactive molten fuel remain within the reactors, and TEPCO has conducted several robotic investigations to strategize the management of the facility.
On March 11, 2011, a powerful 9.0 magnitude earthquake, followed by a tsunami, devastated parts of Japan’s northern coastline, resulting in approximately 20,000 fatalities. At the time of the tsunami, three of the six reactors at the Fukushima plant were operational, leading to their subsequent meltdowns.
In a related development, TEPCO confirmed that Telesco entered the reactor on Wednesday and successfully retrieved a piece weighing less than 3 grams from beneath the Unit 2 reactor core, where significant amounts of melted fuel had accumulated during the disaster 13 years prior.
Plant chief Akira Ono stated that this minuscule particle is crucial for gathering essential information to formulate the decommissioning strategy, advance the required technology and robotics, and gain insights into the progression of the accident.
The government and TEPCO have established a timeline of 30 to 40 years for the cleanup; however, experts argue that this estimate is excessively optimistic and warrants reevaluation.
