Tokyo [Japan], June 29: Japanese regulators have begun final inspections on a newly completed system for the controversial release of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.
The inspection began on Wednesday, a day after the plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) installed the last piece of equipment needed for the release - the outlet of the undersea tunnel dug to discharge the wastewater 1 kilometre offshore.
TEPCO said the Nuclear Regulation Authority inspectors were to examine the equipment related to the treated water transfer and its safety systems as part of their three-day inspection.
The permit for releasing the water could be issued about a week later, and TEPCO could start discharging the water soon afterwards, although an exact date has not been decided. The plan has faced fierce protests from local fishing groups concerned about safety and reputational damage. The Japanese government and TEPCO in 2015 promised not to release the water without consent from the fishing community, but many in the fishing community say the plan was pushed regardless.
Neighbouring South Korea, China and some Pacific Island nations have also raised safety concerns. Government and utility officials say the wastewater, currently stored in about 1,000 tanks at the plant, must be removed to prevent any accidental leaks and to make room for the plant's decommissioning.
Source: Qatar Tribune