Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant starts 3rd release of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea
The tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant began its third release of treated and diluted radioactive wastewater into the sea after Japanese officials said the two earlier releases ended smoothly
TOKYO — The tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant began its third release of treated and diluted radioactive wastewater into the sea Thursday after Japanese officials said the two earlier releases ended smoothly.
The plant operator discharged 7,800 tons of treated water in each of the first two batches and plans to release the same amount in the current batch through Nov. 20.
Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings said its workers activated the first of the two pumps to dilute the treated water with large amounts of seawater, gradually sending the mixture into the Pacific Ocean through an undersea tunnel for an offshore release.
The plant began the first wastewater release in August and will continue to do so for decades. About 1.33 million tons of radioactive wastewater is stored in about 1,000 tanks at the plant. It has accumulated since the plant was crippled by the massive earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan in 2011.
TEPCO and the government say discharging the water into the sea is unavoidable because the tanks are nearly full and the plan needs to be decommissioned.
The wastewater discharges have been strongly opposed by fishing groups and neighboring countries including South Korea, where hundreds of people staged protests. China immediately banned all imports of Japanese seafood, badly hurting Japanese seafood producers and exporters.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters Thursday that Japan has consistently provided transparent and scientific explanations about the
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