ID :
188863
Wed, 06/15/2011 - 20:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/188863
The shortlink copeid
EPCO continues efforts to fully operate key water treatment system
TOKYO (Kyodo) - Tokyo Electric Power Co. continued its efforts Wednesday to fully operate a newly installed radioactive water treatment system at its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant crippled by the devastating March 11 earthquake and ensuing tsunami.
The utility known as TEPCO also worked on beginning to test whether two key components of the system that can decontaminate water including radioactive materials can work well simultaneously, following a trial run of each, ahead of its full-scale operation it plans to start Friday.
It is believed that optimal operation of the system, which is designed to remove highly radioactive materials from a massive amount of water accumulating at plant facilities, will help to contain the three-month-old nuclear crisis as the utility plans to eventually recycle the tainted water to cool the plant's damaged reactors.
Earlier in the day, TEPCO checked a decontamination installation developed by France's Areva SA, one of the two key components of the system, which removes radioactive cesium and strontium by concentrating them with a chemical agent and depositing them as sediment.
The utility tested the other component, an installation to absorb cesium developed by Kurion Inc. of the United States, on Tuesday. In the test, TEPCO successfully reduced cesium in low-level contaminated water to the level it had expected, the government's nuclear safety agency said.
The plant operator said it hopes to process around 1,200 tons of highly radioactive water per day.
The contaminated water accumulating at reactor facilities, including coolant liquid leaking from damaged reactors, has been diverted to other parts of the plant to prevent it from overflowing at the facilities, but those locations are nearing full capacity.
TEPCO had planned to begin a trial run of the treatment facility last Friday but was forced to postpone it after water was found leaking from a pipe, hampering the company's initial plan to fully operate the new system from Wednesday.
Regarding other progress, the utility said it started to transfer water in the No. 1 reactor's condenser to a tank earlier in the day to use it as a new place to store contaminated water.
The condenser could store 1,600 tons of such water if it becomes empty, TEPCO said.
The utility also said it will set up a water circulation system for the pool storing spent nuclear fuel in the No. 3 reactor building by the end of this month, aiming to cool it stably.
The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, meanwhile, said TEPCO employees early Wednesday found a worker at the power plant smoking outside without wearing a mask, despite growing concern about the health of workers at the site.
The agency said it has called on the plant operator to implement thorough measures to prevent workers at the power station from being excessively exposed to radiation.
The utility known as TEPCO also worked on beginning to test whether two key components of the system that can decontaminate water including radioactive materials can work well simultaneously, following a trial run of each, ahead of its full-scale operation it plans to start Friday.
It is believed that optimal operation of the system, which is designed to remove highly radioactive materials from a massive amount of water accumulating at plant facilities, will help to contain the three-month-old nuclear crisis as the utility plans to eventually recycle the tainted water to cool the plant's damaged reactors.
Earlier in the day, TEPCO checked a decontamination installation developed by France's Areva SA, one of the two key components of the system, which removes radioactive cesium and strontium by concentrating them with a chemical agent and depositing them as sediment.
The utility tested the other component, an installation to absorb cesium developed by Kurion Inc. of the United States, on Tuesday. In the test, TEPCO successfully reduced cesium in low-level contaminated water to the level it had expected, the government's nuclear safety agency said.
The plant operator said it hopes to process around 1,200 tons of highly radioactive water per day.
The contaminated water accumulating at reactor facilities, including coolant liquid leaking from damaged reactors, has been diverted to other parts of the plant to prevent it from overflowing at the facilities, but those locations are nearing full capacity.
TEPCO had planned to begin a trial run of the treatment facility last Friday but was forced to postpone it after water was found leaking from a pipe, hampering the company's initial plan to fully operate the new system from Wednesday.
Regarding other progress, the utility said it started to transfer water in the No. 1 reactor's condenser to a tank earlier in the day to use it as a new place to store contaminated water.
The condenser could store 1,600 tons of such water if it becomes empty, TEPCO said.
The utility also said it will set up a water circulation system for the pool storing spent nuclear fuel in the No. 3 reactor building by the end of this month, aiming to cool it stably.
The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency, meanwhile, said TEPCO employees early Wednesday found a worker at the power plant smoking outside without wearing a mask, despite growing concern about the health of workers at the site.
The agency said it has called on the plant operator to implement thorough measures to prevent workers at the power station from being excessively exposed to radiation.
