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- The IAEA Conducted Its Review Mission of Safety Aspects of Handling of ALPS Treated Water at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
The IAEA Conducted Its Review Mission of Safety Aspects of Handling of ALPS Treated Water at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
February 18, 2022
An IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) delegation visited Japan from 14th to 18th February, to conduct its review mission of safety aspects of handling of ALPS treated water at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS).
From 14th to 18th February, six IAEA officials and eight international experts (United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, Republic of Korea, Vietnam, Argentina) led by Mr. Gustavo Caruso, Director and Coordinator for the Fukushima ALPS project, in the Department of Nuclear Safety and Security of the International Atomic Energy Agency, visited Japan as part of an ongoing review of safety aspects of the handling of ALPS treated water at FDNPS.
This review mission was conducted based on the Terms of Reference (TOR) on a comprehensive framework for cooperation on the handling of ALPS treated water, which was signed with the IAEA last July. The IAEA and international experts assessed and reviewed the safety of discharging ALPS treated water into the sea based on international safety standards during this mission, which will be followed by others as part of IAEA assistance to be provided before, during and after the discharge.
The summary of the meeting and the visit to the FDNPS are as follows.
1. Meeting with METI and TEPCO
Based on the IAEA's safety standards, the mission experts reviewed technical aspects related to the radiological characterization of the water to be discharged, the safety-related aspects of the water discharge process, and Japan’s assessment of the radiological environmental impact with regard to the protection of people and the environment. The report of the review mission is expected to be issued by the IAEA in April.In particular, the conditions and the references of the Report of the Radiological Impact Assessment (RIA) on humans and environment of the Discharge of ALPS Treated Water into the Sea, which was released by TEPCO in November last year, were reviewed. Reflecting the comments by this IAEA review mission in addition to the comments having received from the IAEA during the previous communications, TEPCO will revise this RIA report and further enhance its contents.
2. Site survey to the FDNPS
On February 15, Mr. Caruso, other IAEA members and international experts visited the FDNPS to see the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), the tanks used for measurement and confirmation of the concentration of radioactive materials contained in the treated water before dilution and discharge, and the harbor area which is being considered for the installation of facilities for dilution and discharge of the treated water, all of which are to be reviewed.IAEA delegation members also witnessed in person TEPCO taking samples of the ALPS treated water from the measurement and verification facility. In order to corroborate the analysis by TEPCO of the concentration of radioactive materials contained in the ALPS treated water, it was confirmed that the IAEA laboratories will also conduct the analysis of the concentration of radioactive materials in the future. The IAEA and Japan are going to coordinate the details of the implementation.
