Fukushima Debris Removal Faces Another Delay Until 2037

The process of removing melted fuel debris from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has encountered another delay, now scheduled to commence in 2037. TEPCO has cited the need for 12 to 15 years of preparatory work, including radiation reduction and facility construction, as the reason for this postponement.

Following the catastrophic meltdown caused by the 2011 tsunami, approximately 880 tons of melted nuclear fuel remain entangled with structural wreckage across three reactors. A recent test retrieval was already delayed by three years, and predictions suggest that decommissioning could extend over a century.

Despite these setbacks, TEPCO remains committed to its target of completing the decommissioning by 2051. Chief Decommissioning Officer Akira Ono acknowledged the challenges but maintained the importance of having a defined goal. Future efforts will involve small-scale missions by robots to inform larger removal methods, particularly at reactor No. 3.

(With inputs from agencies.)