Japan's Tokyo Electric Power Company Considers Discharging Fukushima Contaminated Water into Seabed 1km from Nuclear Plant

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] It has been reported that the discharge site for contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan is being considered either underwater about 1 km away from the plant or in the nearby sea area.

On the 11th, Sankei Shimbun cited sources reporting that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) is strongly considering either underwater about 1 km away from the plant or the nearby sea area as the discharge site in relation to the contaminated water ocean release plan recently decided by the Japanese government.

TEPCO initially considered installing an underwater pipe connected to the plant to transport the contaminated water filtered by the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) about 1 km away and discharge it into the sea.

To implement this plan, a drilling survey to assess the seabed condition is necessary, but delays in the Japanese government's decision on contaminated water treatment have caused difficulties in securing work vessels and other preparations.

Accordingly, TEPCO is also considering discharging from the coastline adjacent to the plant site.

TEPCO plans to install an intake facility to pump seawater for dilution in the sea area in front of Units 5 and 6, located north of the plant site, to reduce the concentration of tritium in the contaminated water filtered by ALPS.

Even after filtering the contaminated water with ALPS, the radioactive substance tritium is not removed.

To proceed with ocean discharge, TEPCO must submit an implementation plan detailing equipment plans and procedures to the Nuclear Regulation Authority and obtain approval.

The preparation for ocean discharge, including review and equipment construction, will take about two years, and TEPCO is reportedly considering expanding storage tanks in advance to prepare for the situation where the contaminated water storage tanks become full.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.