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  5. The IAEA Published a Report on the Third Interlaboratory Comparison on the Determination of Radionuclides in ALPS Treated Water

The IAEA Published a Report on the Third Interlaboratory Comparison on the Determination of Radionuclides in ALPS Treated Water

Japanese

March 25, 2025

Energy and Environment Policy

On March 24 (local time in Vienna, Austria), the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) published a report on the third interlaboratory comparison on the determination of radionuclides in ALPS treated water. The report describes the results of this interlaboratory comparison and concludes that Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) has the capability for conducting reliable and high-quality source monitoring related to the discharge of ALPS treated water.

Summary

On March 24 (local time in Vienna, Austria), the IAEA published a report on the results of the interlaboratory comparison under its Review of Safety Related Aspects of Handling ALPS treated water. The IAEA review consists of (1) the assessment of protection and safety (TEPCO and the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI)), (2) regulatory activities and processes (Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA)), and (3) sampling, independent analysis and data corroboration (IAEA’s verification of monitoring). The report focuses on the results regarding (3).

This report is the third report following the report on the second interlaboratory comparison on the determination of radionuclides in ALPS treated water published in January 2024.

ALPS treated water samples were taken from measurement/confirmation tanks in the presence of the IAEA in June 2024, and the IAEA laboratories and third-party laboratories, selected by the IAEA, performed the analysis of the samples. The report shows the results of the comparison of measured values by each laboratory.

(Reference) Measurement/confirmation tanks
The tanks used to receive ALPS treated water from the storage tanks etc., on the premises of TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), and to circulate and stir ALPS treated water to collect representative samples for the analysis prior to the dilution and discharge.

2. Key Points of the Report 

The key findings of the interlaboratory comparison are as follows.
 
ⅰ. TEPCO has reported accurate results that demonstrate a high degree of proficiency.
ⅱ. TEPCO's sample collection procedures follow the appropriate methodological standards required to obtain representative samples.

ⅲ. The selected analytical methods utilized by TEPCO for different radionuclides were appropriate and fit for purpose. The reported detection limits were less than 1% of the respective regulatory limits for all radionuclides included in TEPCO’s source term.

It is concluded that these findings from ⅰ. to ⅲ. provide confidence in TEPCO’s capability for conducting reliable and high-quality source monitoring related to the discharge of ALPS treated water and that based on the observations of the IAEA, TEPCO has demonstrated that they have a sustainable and robust analytical system in place to support the ongoing technical needs at FDNPS during the discharge of ALPS treated water.

Participating Laboratories

IAEA

・Marine Environment Laboratories, Radiometrics Laboratory (RML), Monaco 
・Terrestrial Environmental Radiochemistry Laboratory (TERC), Austria
・Isotope Hydrology Laboratory (IHL), Austria

The third-party laboratories

・China Institute for Radiation Protection (CIRP), People’s Republic of China  
・Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), United States of America
・Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), Republic of Korea
・Spiez Laboratory (SPIEZ), Switzerland

3. Response to the IAEA Report

Through the IAEA safety review, the Government of Japan will continue to take measures in accordance with international safety standards and take all possible measures to ensure the safety of the discharge.

The Government of Japan will also continue to maintain close coordination with the IAEA in sharing information with the international community in a highly transparent manner and fostering a better understanding of the safety of the discharge of ALPS treated water within both the domestic and international communities.

Related Links

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Nuclear Accident Response Office, Agency for Natural Resources and Energy
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