TEPCO has announced a policy to dilute the treated water containing tritium, which continues to accumulate at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, below the standard and then release it from offshore about 1 km from the nuclear power plant through a new undersea tunnel.
TEPCO held a press conference on the premises of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on the 25th, and explained its future policy regarding specific discharge methods for treated water that continues to accumulate and strengthening of monitoring.
Regarding treated water, seawater pumped up by a large pump is mixed and diluted to a concentration below the standard, and a newly created undersea tunnel is used to discharge about 1 km offshore from the nuclear power plant.
He explained that the reason for doing this from offshore is not to take in the discharged treated water again, and after asking the people concerned for the construction of the undersea tunnel, he started the investigation of the seabed and installed it by the spring of 2023. It means aiming for completion.
In addition, for the time being, he indicated that he would release tritium after measuring whether the concentration of tritium was below the standard value.
In addition, in order to confirm the diffusion status of tritium and the transfer status of radioactive substances to fish, etc., the monitoring will be strengthened by increasing the points and number of surveys.
In addition, TEPCO also showed a concrete idea of compensation in the event of reputational damage caused by the release of treated water, and when new reputational damage occurs, statistical data such as prices and transaction volumes for each region and industry are used. It is said that the damage is inferred.
Akira Ono, representative of the Fukushima Daiichi Decommissioning Promotion Company, said, "I am distressed by the burden on fishermen and others. I would like to take maximum rumors and gain understanding."
Mayor of Minamisoma "How to reduce the impact"
Kazuo Monma, the mayor of Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture, located in the coastal area near the nuclear power plant, said, "We will thoroughly investigate the technical matters regarding the disposal method of treated water in the national government, etc. I want you to take it. "
Fishermen question whether rumor damage will occur
Fukushima Prefecture fishermen are wondering if that method will cause rumors.
A fisherman in his thirties in Shinchi-cho said, "I don't think the situation will change much whether it is washed directly from the nuclear power plant or about a kilometer away, and it will only cost a lot of money. The question remains whether TEPCO, which has hidden such troubles, can be safely disposed of, or whether it will cause reputational damage, and if the public does not understand it, the ocean release itself cannot be convinced. "
In addition, President Koichi Shiba, who reopened a fishery company in Namie Town last year, said, "It may have the effect of spreading treated water over a wide area along the flow of the sea tide, but it may cause reputational damage. I don't think it's such an easy problem. Our company also employs many employees, and since it is close to the nuclear power plant, we continue to consider disposal methods that are not rumored by the government and TEPCO. I want it. "