The IAEA = International Atomic Energy Agency's research team, who is visiting Japan this month to verify the decommissioning work of TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, has compiled a report and is looking ahead to the final disposal of fuel debris in the next 10 years. He pointed out that the necessary research and development should be accelerated.
This is the fifth verification of the decommissioning work of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant by the IAEA, and on the 27th, the study team handed a report summarizing the verification results to the Deputy Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ejima.
After the submission, Mr. Christoph Guzeli, the head of the research team, will be asked to manage the fuel debris taken out and decommission it, with an eye on the final disposal of fuel debris, as an issue for the next 10 years. He points out that necessary research and development such as waste handling should be accelerated.
Regarding whether the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will end in the next 30 years, "No one, including myself, knows. The important thing is to collect information on fuel debris and gain experience while proceeding with the retrieval." He pointed out the importance of regularly reviewing the plan for decommissioning.
From next month, the IAEA plans to conduct a survey to verify the safety of the release of treated water containing tritium into the ocean.