Japan Regulators OK Costly Ice Wall at Fukushima Plant
Source: ABC News
Japan Regulators OK Costly Ice Wall at Fukushima Plant
By MARI YAMAGUCHI, ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOKYO — Mar 30, 2016, 10:03 AM ET
Japanese regulators on Wednesday approved the use of a giant refrigeration system to create an unprecedented underground frozen barrier around buildings at the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant in an attempt to contain leaking radioactive water.
The Nuclear Regulation Authority said the structure, which was completed last month, can now be activated.
The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., said it plans to turn on the ice wall on Thursday, starting with the portion near the sea to prevent more contaminated water from escaping into the Pacific Ocean. The system will be started up in phases to allow close monitoring and adjustment.
Nearly 800,000 tons of radioactive water that is already being stored in 1,000 industrial tanks at the plant has been hampering the decontamination and decommissioning of the nuclear facility, which was damaged by a massive earthquake and tsunami in 2011.
The success of the ice wall is believed to be key to resolving the plant's water woes.
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