Tokyo Electric Power Company has released an image taken by a drone of the situation directly below the reactor at Unit 1 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
The image shows for the first time that icicle-like objects that may contain melted "nuclear fuel debris" are attached to equipment that fell from the bottom of the reactor.
TEPCO conducted its first survey at Unit 1 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in February by placing a camera-equipped drone inside the containment vessel covering the reactor, and on the 18th, images were taken directly below the reactor. I have published the image.
One of these images shows a lump that may contain "nuclear fuel debris," which is a mixture of melted nuclear fuel and surrounding structures, at the top of the equipment that takes in and out the control rods that fell off from the bottom of the reactor. You can see that objects are attached to it and some parts are hanging down like icicles.
At Unit 1, when we used a robot to investigate the water that had accumulated at the bottom of the containment vessel last year, we found deposits that appeared to be debris at the bottom, but there is a possibility that debris may be present on top of the water. This is the first time something has been captured.
Based on previous studies and simulations, it is estimated that the amount of "nuclear fuel debris" at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is approximately 880 tons in total from Units 1 to 3, of which Unit 1 has the largest amount of debris. is believed to have melted down to the bottom of the containment vessel.
TEPCO plans to analyze these images in more detail and use them to consider methods for removing debris.