Nuclear plant U-turn on dumping waste in sea
Source: Agencies |
December 10, 2011, Saturday
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Print Edition
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THE operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant said yesterday it has scrapped a plan to dump water it treated for radiation contamination into the sea, following angry protests from fishing groups.
Tokyo Electric Power had said on Thursday it was considering discharging treated water from the Fukushima's Daiichi plant into the sea as it was running out of space.
"Treated" means once-high radioactive content has been reduced considerably, but not completely.
The Fukushima plant was struck by a devastating quake and tsunami in March and has released radiation into the atmosphere, carried by winds, rain and snow, ever since.
"The decision not to include the plan was made after talks on Thursday with fishing cooperatives and opposition from the government's Fisheries Agency," a TEPCO spokeswoman said.
TEPCO general manager Junichi Matsumoto told reporters yesterday that the company would try to build more tanks and recycle more of the treated water for cooling purposes.
Tens of thousands of tons of water contaminated with radiation have accumulated at the plant, 240 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, after early in the crisis, TEPCO tried to cool reactors that suffered nuclear meltdowns by pouring in water.
TEPCO estimates that the plant could reach its storage capacity of 155,000 tons around March.
Tokyo Electric Power had said on Thursday it was considering discharging treated water from the Fukushima's Daiichi plant into the sea as it was running out of space.
"Treated" means once-high radioactive content has been reduced considerably, but not completely.
The Fukushima plant was struck by a devastating quake and tsunami in March and has released radiation into the atmosphere, carried by winds, rain and snow, ever since.
"The decision not to include the plan was made after talks on Thursday with fishing cooperatives and opposition from the government's Fisheries Agency," a TEPCO spokeswoman said.
TEPCO general manager Junichi Matsumoto told reporters yesterday that the company would try to build more tanks and recycle more of the treated water for cooling purposes.
Tens of thousands of tons of water contaminated with radiation have accumulated at the plant, 240 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, after early in the crisis, TEPCO tried to cool reactors that suffered nuclear meltdowns by pouring in water.
TEPCO estimates that the plant could reach its storage capacity of 155,000 tons around March.
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