Original title: Japanese media: Japan’s TEPCO to suspend digging of nuclear-contaminated water drainage tunnels or postpone dumping
Landmark News Network reported on Dec. 4 Japan’s Tokyo Electric Power Company will soon suspend the excavation of the underwater tunnel through which nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is discharged into the sea, according to a Kyodo News report on the 3rd. Although around 80% of the 1 kilometer tunnel has been excavated, priority must be given to the work around the outlet. The time to resume excavation will be around April next year, and the start of sea dumping “around spring next year” that the Japanese government and TEPCO are bidding for is likely to be postponed until later summer.
According to the report, TEPCO fully launched the nuclear-contaminated water discharge equipment project in August this year, and has been excavating about 780 meters into the seabed since December 2. The works will be temporarily suspended during the excavation phase at approximately 800 metres.
According to reports, concrete work and other reinforcements will be carried out around the concrete “caisson” installed at the exit of the offshore submarine tunnel during this period. It is expected to take around 4 months but could be delayed depending on weather conditions and waves.
Taking advantage of the shutdown period, the internal masonry of the well that injects the nuclear-contaminated water during discharge will also be brought forward, reportedly.
It is reported that the tunnel excavation is expected to restart around April next year when the two projects are completed, and the remaining 200 meters will be completed in 2 to 3 months.
Source: Reference News
