The operator of the wrecked Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant on Monday began tests of newly constructed facilities for discharging treated radioactive wastewater into the sea, a plan strongly opposed by local fishing communities and neighboring nations.
The tests at the nuclear power plant use fresh water instead of the treated water, operator Tokyo Electric Power Co Holdings (TEPCO) said.
Plant workers examined pumps and emergency shutdown equipment at the newly constructed seaside facility, which would dilute the treated water with large amounts of seawater. The diluted water then enters an undersea tunnel and is released into the ocean about 1km from the coast.
Photo: EPA-EFE
The undersea tunnel and other key facilities are near completion. TEPCO says the voluntary tests are expected to continue for about two weeks ahead of mandatory preoperation checks to be conducted by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority, possibly early next month.
The Japanese government in April 2021 announced plans to gradually release the treated, but still slightly radioactive water following its dilution to what it says are safe levels.
Japanese officials say the water, stored in about 1,000 tanks at the plant, needs to be removed to prevent accidental leaks in case of an earthquake and to make room for the plant’s decommissioning.
The plan has faced fierce protests from local fishing communities concerned about safety and reputational damage. Nearby nations, including Taiwan, South Korea, China and Pacific Island nations, have also raised safety concerns.
The Japanese government has set up a fund to promote Fukushima seafood and provide compensation if sales fall due to safety concerns.
Fishing officials said they remain opposed to the plan when they met Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura on Saturday when he visited Fukushima, and the neighboring prefectures of Ibaraki and Miyagi.
“We stand by our opposition,” Tetsu Nozaki, head of the Fukushima Prefectural Fisheries Association, told Nishimura.
However, Nozaki said the association supports progress in the nuclear power plant’s decommissioning and hopes to continue the dialogue.
“At the moment, our positions remain wide apart,” he said.
Nishimura told reporters that he hopes to gain an understanding of fishing communities while working to prevent reputational damage.
In South Korea, fishers on Monday staged a rally in front of the National Assembly in Seoul against the plan to release treated radioactive water.
Japanese officials say that the diluted water would be released into the ocean over decades, making it harmless to people and marine life. Japan has sought support from the International Atomic Energy Agency to gain credibility and ensure safety measures meet international standards.
Some scientists say the impact of long-term, low-dose exposure to radionuclides is unknown and the release should be delayed.
A massive March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami destroyed the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant’s cooling systems, causing three reactors to melt down and releasing large amounts of radiation. The tanks storing the water used since the accident to cool the reactor cores are to reach their capacity early next year.
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