Japan Atomic Energy Agency Opens Facility to Analyze Fukushima Debris
On August 20th, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) opened a facility in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture, to analyze melted nuclear fuel debris from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant. This facility will play a crucial role in understanding the reactor's condition at the time of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and in assessing the possibility of criticality.
The laboratory will utilize X-ray analysis equipment and an electron microscope to examine the structure and properties of the debris. This analysis will provide valuable data on the reactor's condition during the accident.
Tokyo Electric Power Co., the plant's operator, plans to remove a small amount of debris from the No. 2 reactor. This debris will be transported in a specially designed container to shield against high levels of radiation. Workers will then use remote-controlled devices to extract the debris and analyze it while monitoring the process through a glass window.
The JAEA aims to complete the analysis by the end of the fiscal year. "Even though the analysis involves only a small amount, we believe it will provide data that can depict the conditions inside the reactor," said Hideki Ogino, chief engineer at the JAEA's Fukushima Research and Engineering Institute. "We would like to contribute to the decommissioning of the reactors through further analysis."
The JAEA plans to use the results of this analysis to shape future plans for full-scale debris removal. This research is a crucial step in the ongoing decommissioning process of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.