Robots to clean Nos.1 to 3

February 1, 2013

Fukushima reactor buildings to be cleaned by robots from late July

http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20130201p2g00m0dm026000c.html

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The operator of the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant said Thursday it will use robots from late July to accelerate work to reduce radiation levels in buildings housing three crippled reactors.

The method, decided by Tokyo Electric Power Co. and the government, is aimed at making the buildings more accessible for workers to conduct preliminary investigations necessary to decommission the reactors that contain melted fuel.

The details of conditions inside the reactor containers are currently unknown. Under the plan, remote-controlled robots are expected to clean the interior of the Nos. 1 to 3 reactor buildings with high-pressure water and other means.

The robots are now being used on a trial basis at the Fukushima Daini plant, located near the Daiichi plant that was devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, to check whether their functioning can be improved.

The government and the utility plan to spend up to around 40 years to scrap the four reactor units severely damaged during the nuclear crisis, three of which suffered core meltdowns.

February 01, 2013(Mainichi Japan)