TEPCO Restarts Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Debris Removal

Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) has resumed trial removal of nuclear fuel debris from the Fukushima Daiichi plant after suspending operations last month due to equipment malfunction. This preparatory step follows re-checks completed in early September. The decommissioning process faced delays due to COVID-19 and resulted in trade impacts last year.

Tokyo Electric Power, commonly known as TEPCO, resumed trial operations to remove nuclear fuel debris from the Fukushima Daiichi plant, the company confirmed on Tuesday. The work had been halted last month following an equipment malfunction.

This preparatory operation marks the first since the 2011 tsunami devastated the plant. The removal was suspended on August 22 due to an installation error but was reinstated on September 6 after thorough checks. The debris, comprising nuclear fuel and parts of the plant's infrastructure, weighs approximately 880 tons and was initially slated for removal in 2021, a plan postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In August of the previous year, TEPCO began releasing treated radioactive water from Fukushima, triggering China's ban on Japanese seafood imports, a significant blow as China ranks as Japan's top seafood customer.

(With inputs from agencies.)