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- The IAEA Published a Report on "IAEA’s Independent Sampling, Data Corroboration, and Analysis Activities" from Its Review of Safety Related Aspects of Handling ALPS Treated Water at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
The IAEA Published a Report on "IAEA’s Independent Sampling, Data Corroboration, and Analysis Activities" from Its Review of Safety Related Aspects of Handling ALPS Treated Water at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station
January 4, 2023
On December 29th, the IAEA published a report on "IAEA’s Independent Sampling, Data Corroboration, and Analysis Activities" associated with its review of the safety of ALPS treated water at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) which began in 2021. This report describes IAEA’s planned corroboration activities and future reports will be published when the results of the analysis become available.
1. Summary
The IAEA review of the safety aspects of handling of ALPS treated water is being conducted consistent with the associated Terms of Reference (TOR), which was signed with the IAEA in July 2021. The IAEA’s review will be conducted before, during and after the ALPS treated water discharge, and is being implemented by the IAEA Task Force, which consists of IAEA officials and international experts.
This report mainly describes IAEA’s activities including analysis and data corroboration of source and environmental monitoring associated with the ALPS treated water discharge and technical capabilities associated with occupational radiation protection.
Ref) The IAEA Task Force includes international experts, serving in a personal capacity, from Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Republic of Korea, the Marshall Islands, Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
2. Key Points of the Report
*There are quotes from the IAEA report (Including some summaries)
The report is intended to provide confidence in the accuracy of the data provided by TEPCO and Japanese authorities.
The three main components of the IAEA corroboration activities are as follows:
- Sampling, analysis and interlaboratory comparison (ILC) for ALPS treated water.
- Sampling, analysis and ILC for environmental samples (e.g., seawater, fish) from the surrounding environment.
- Assessment of the capabilities of dosimetry service providers involved in the monitoring of internal and external radiation exposure of workers.
The report provides an update on progress demonstrated to date and what future activities can be anticipated. Future reports will be published when the results of the analysis become available. Additionally, as the safety review continues before, during, and after the discharges of ALPS treated water, updates on the IAEA's corroboration activities will be made public.
<Source Monitoring>
- ALPS treated water prior to dilution will be analyzed.
- Three IAEA laboratories participate in source monitoring: the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories (Monaco), Terrestrial Environmental Radiochemistry Laboratory (Seibersdorf), and the Isotope Hydrology Laboratory (Vienna). Additionally, under the coordination of the participating IAEA laboratories, selected third-party laboratories, members of the network of Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity (ALMERA) are also conducting analyses..
The third-party laboratories participating in the First ILC for Corroboration of Source Monitoring (March 2022)
:Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (Republic of Korea)
:Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (France)
:Los Alamos National Laboratory (USA)
:Labor Spiez (Switzerland)
The third-party laboratory participating in the Second and Third ILCs for Corroboration of Source Monitoring (October 2022)
:Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (Republic of Korea)
<Environmental Monitoring>
- Environmental monitoring will be conducted according to the Government of Japan’s Comprehensive Radiation Monitoring Plan.
- Seawater, marine sediment, fish, and seaweed were sampled in November 2022.
- IAEA laboratories and third country laboratories selected from the members of network of ALEMRA will participate in the analysis.
<Review of Sampling and Analysis Methods for the Anticipated Future Activities>
- Desk reviews will initially be undertaken by the IAEA of the generic Japanese methods recommended by the NRA for measurements of radionuclide levels in environmental samples and procedures based on these that are used by TEPCO for both source and environmental monitoring purposes.
- The IAEA team will assess the appropriateness of each method, including – for analytical methods – an evaluation of required detection limits and uncertainties. Then on-site observation by the IAEA team of the implementation of these methods will take place.
<Corroboration Concept for Occupational Radiation Protection Data>
- An individual monitoring programme is designed to assess radiation doses to workers arising from exposure due to external sources of radiation and from exposure due to intakes of radionuclides. It consists of the following three elements
:Corroboration of capabilities for monitoring and assessing external exposure
:Corroboration of capabilities for monitoring and assessing internal exposure
:Review of analytical methods in external and internal dosimetry
3. Response to the IAEA report
The Government of Japan will ensure that rigorous and transparent reviews are conducted according to the plan described in the report. As the discharge plan progresses, the Government of Japan will continue to confirm safety in accordance with international safety standards through IAEA reviews, and all possible measures will be taken to ensure safety.
METI will take necessary measures, as appropriate, regarding the discharge ALPS treated water into the sea on the basic premise of safety, taking into account the results of the IAEA review.
4. Related Documents
5. Related Links
- IAEA Officials will Visit TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station to Observe Sampling of the ALPS Treated Water for Analysis
- Fukushima Daiichi ALPS Treated Water Discharge (IAEA website)
- ALPS Treated Water (METI website)
Division in Charge
Nuclear Accident Response Office, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy