A remote-controlled robot has successfully retrieved a small piece of melted nuclear fuel from the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, marking the first physical sample collected since the 2011 disaster. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), which manages the site, confirmed that the “Telesco” robot used a fishing-rod-like tool to clip a 3-gram piece from a mound of molten fuel at the bottom of the Unit 2 reactor’s primary containment vessel. The sample, roughly the size of a small pebble (0.2 inches or 5mm in diameter), will be tested to help scientists better understand the radioactive fuel’s condition.
The robot’s mission began in August, initially planned as a two-week operation but delayed by several technical issues. First, a procedural error caused a three-week delay, and later, the robot’s cameras failed, requiring replacement. The mission resumed on Monday, and by Wednesday, the robot had collected the sample, which was then transferred to a safe container by workers wearing full hazmat gear.
Japan retrieved melted nuclear fuel at the bottom of the Fukushima Daichi plant for the first time 🇯🇵 ☢️
👉 If the radiation levels are below a set standard, the debris will be analysed
💰 This is a key part of the Fukushima cleanup, which will take decades and cost billions pic.twitter.com/xRYo0wtPuN— Stephen Stapczynski (@SStapczynski) November 2, 2024
The sample will now be analyzed to assess how the radioactive fuel has degraded over the past 13 years. TEPCO hopes this data will guide the development of new technology and techniques needed for the long-term decommissioning of the damaged reactors. Plant chief Akira Ono stated that this small sample will be essential for planning and executing a full cleanup strategy. Currently, around 880 tons of highly radioactive melted fuel remains within the plant’s three reactors.
The cleanup of Fukushima Daiichi, which lost its cooling systems during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, is expected to take 30 to 40 years. However, some experts caution that the timeline may be overly optimistic given the scale of the remaining radioactive debris. While TEPCO and the Japanese government have outlined a general cleanup target, a comprehensive plan for the full removal and disposal of all radioactive materials has yet to be determined.
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