The probe robot has detected radioactive water leaking through the drainage system of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, but it has not seeped into the external environment.
The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, announced the discovery of a leak of approximately 25 tons of radioactive water from reactor number 2. However, the company emphasized that this water is not released into the environment but flows into the basement, Interesting Engineering reported on August 14.
Aerial view of the Fukushima plant. (Photo: Interesting Engineering)
Previously, an abnormal drop in water levels was detected in one of the water control tanks in the nuclear fuel cooling pool. Authorities deployed a robot into the building. The exploratory results showed that the water leak from the pool flows into the basement. Inspections confirmed that the water leaked through the drainage system and did not flow outside, according to TEPCO. The company has now stopped pumping water into the cooling pool. They stated that the incident did not cause the fuel to exceed a temperature of 65 degrees Celsius. TEPCO plans to use a robot for more detailed inspections of reactor number 2.
In early February 2024, TEPCO discovered a radioactive water leak at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. The leak was approximately 5.5 tons, and the affected area measured 4 x 4 meters. The company began discharging water from the plant into the sea in August 2023. On August 9, 2024, TEPCO reported a malfunction in equipment related to the spent fuel pool of reactor number 2. As a precaution, the cooling system for the spent fuel pool was subsequently halted while the cause of the malfunction was investigated.
On March 11, 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) suffered severe damage following a 9.0 magnitude earthquake off the eastern coast of Japan, accompanied by a tsunami. The combined impact of the earthquake and tsunami caused significant losses in the northeastern region. The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi plant was classified at level 7, indicating a major incident on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale. This remains the largest civil nuclear accident since the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. The radioactive materials released from the plant forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate.
