The discharge of handled water from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) is progressing as deliberate and with none technical considerations, the Task Force arrange by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed after its mission this week to evaluate the security of the discharge with regards to the worldwide security requirements, two months after it started.
During the mission from 24 to 27 October, the Task Force – comprised of IAEA and worldwide consultants – reviewed the services and gear put in on the FDNPS website for the needs of discharging the ALPS (Advanced Liquid Processing System) handled water. The Task Force additionally engaged in technical discussions with Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the plant operator and employees on the website, and reviewed accessible knowledge and operational expertise relating to the primary two discharges that occurred from August to October this yr.
During the mission the Task Force additionally met with Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA).
The IAEA’s complete report issued on July 4 this yr discovered Japan’s plan for dealing with the handled water to be in step with worldwide security requirements and that the discharge as deliberate would have a negligible radiological impression to folks and the surroundings. It was a fruits of two years of labor by the IAEA Task Force, which incorporates exterior consultants from 11 nations – Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, the United States and Viet Nam.
“The IAEA’s comprehensive report was a significant milestone regarding the phase prior to the release, but it is not the end of our work,” stated Lydie Evrard, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security. “The IAEA is now focussing on ongoing and long-term activities to review Japan’s continued application of the relevant international safety standards. The IAEA safety review, including monitoring and corroboration activities, will continue to proceed in an independent, objective, science-based and transparent manner, during the discharge and after.”
The 4 day Task Force go to was preceded by IAEA consultants and worldwide scientific observers conducting the primary intensive sampling of the marine surroundings close to FDNPS for the reason that begin of the handled water discharges. These samples will likely be used to corroborate Japan’s environmental monitoring and to verify Japan’s functionality to find out any modifications within the ranges of radionuclides within the marine surroundings for the reason that water discharges started on August 24. This sampling, unbiased evaluation and knowledge analysis work is one side of the Agency’s security evaluate.
During its go to to the FDNPS, the Task Force carried out a walkdown of the water discharge services. Accompanied by TEPCO employees, the Task Force noticed the tanks holding the water ready for discharge, the switch pumps driving the water via the discharge system, the emergency isolation valves and the management room the place the method is monitored 24/7 by TEPCO employees. The Task Force additionally examined the radiation screens and circulation charge detectors feeding reside knowledge to the IAEA’s devoted actual time monitoring web page.
Gustavo Caruso, Chair of the Task Force, stated the technical evaluation this week targeted on the interface between the IAEA’s security evaluate previous to the discharge and now through the discharge. “Our comprehensive approach allows the Task Force to make direct observations on site to link what is happening now that the water is being discharged against our conclusions from the comprehensive report,” stated Caruso. “No issues were identified during our visit to the facilities this week and we will continue our review to assess whether the IAEA’s findings from our comprehensive report remain valid.”
Conducting common Task Force evaluate missions is a method by which the IAEA will proceed its multiyear security evaluate. IAEA Director General Grossi agreed in July with Japan that the Agency may also proceed its monitoring and evaluation of the method, to constantly employees the IAEA Fukushima Daiichi NPS Office, carry out ongoing evaluate missions, corroborate Japan’s supply and environmental monitoring programmes, and proceed outreach and consciousness actions.
The fundamental outcomes from the Task Force’s mission this week will likely be summarized in a report back to be made publicly accessible by the tip of the yr.
Separately this week, Tepco reported an operational incident that occurred on the FDNPS water therapy facility on October 25. The Agency’s Fukushima Daiichi NPS Office stays in touch with the Japanese counterparts on the plant, to evaluate the consistency of the measures taken by the operator with regard to the worldwide security requirements.
Source: IAEA