Technical Setback Halts Fukushima Robotic Fuel Debris Removal

An attempt to use a robot for removing melted fuel debris from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was suspended due to a technical problem. The task, part of a decades-long decommissioning effort, was stopped when pipes maneuvering the robot were incorrectly placed. Safety remains the priority before resuming the mission.

An effort to use an extendable robot to remove a fragment of melted fuel from Japan's tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was suspended Thursday due to a technical issue.

The collection of a tiny sample of debris inside the Unit 2 reactor's primary containment vessel would mark the beginning of the most challenging phase of the plant's decades-long decommissioning. Three reactors were severely damaged during the March 11, 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami disaster.

The operation was halted after workers discovered that five 1.5-meter pipes, used to maneuver the robot, were placed incorrectly and couldn't be adjusted within the allowed radiation exposure time limit, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) stated. These pipes were designed to push the robot in and pull it out once the task was completed. For now, the mission is paused and the new start date is uncertain, with TEPCO prioritizing safety over urgency.

(With inputs from agencies.)