TOKYO (AP) – For the first time since the catastrophic meltdown in 2011, a remote-controlled robot has successfully retrieved a small piece of melted fuel from one of the damaged reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), the robot, which resembles an extendable fishing rod, collected a piece of debris measuring about 5 millimeters (or approximately 2 inches), likened to the size of a granola bit, from the surface of a mound of molten fuel located at the bottom of the No. 2 reactor’s primary containment vessel.
After the robot, named “Telesco,” successfully grasped the piece, it returned to a secure container for storage, with workers in full hazmat gear overseeing the operation. This retrieval is significant as it marks the first instance of melted fuel being extracted from the containment vessel since the disaster.
However, the mission is far from complete. Before the sample can be deemed safe, it must be confirmed that its radioactivity is below a certain threshold. If the radioactivity exceeds this limit, the robot will need to re-enter the reactor to search for a different piece of fuel. TEPCO officials expressed optimism that the retrieved piece would meet safety requirements.
The mission, which initially began in August and was expected to last just two weeks, encountered several setbacks. The first delay stemmed from a procedural error that halted operations for nearly three weeks. This was followed by a failure in the robot’s two cameras, which are essential for transmitting visuals to the operators in the control room. The malfunction required the robot to be pulled out completely for repairs before the mission could continue.
The Fukushima Daiichi plant experienced catastrophic meltdowns in three reactors after the loss of essential cooling systems during the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, leaving approximately 880 tons of highly radioactive molten fuel within them. Since then, TEPCO has deployed several robotic probes in efforts to assess and plan the decommissioning of the plant.
On a recent Wednesday, Telesco successfully retrieved a piece of debris from just below the Unit 2 reactor core, where a substantial amount of melted fuel fell during the 2011 crisis. Plant chief Akira Ono indicated that even a tiny sample like this could yield crucial data necessary for devising a decommissioning strategy and developing the technology and robots required for the task.
The Japanese government and TEPCO aim to complete the cleanup within 30 to 40 years, although experts argue that this timeline is overly ambitious and likely requires reassessment. No specific plans have been established for the full removal of the fuel debris or its final disposal at this stage.
