29-2-2024 (TOKYO) Japan has dispatched two mini-drones and a “snake-shaped robot” into one of the three nuclear reactors at the Fukushima plant, damaged by a tsunami in 2011, according to the facility’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). The deployment of these gadgets is part of the preparations for the challenging task of removing hundreds of tonnes of highly radioactive fuel and debris, a process expected to span decades.
A TEPCO spokesman stated, “We sent two drones yesterday and two drones today,” along with the “snake-shaped robot” on Thursday. Given the cramped and dark interior of the reactor, the small drones are designed to be highly maneuverable with enhanced photographic capabilities. The “snake-like robot” features wireless communications relay to cover the radio transmission area for the operation of the small drones.
The interior of the reactor buildings remains too radioactive for human entry, making the drones crucial for inspecting the area before the subsequent removal of fuel and rubble by robots. TEPCO is planning a trial removal of a small amount of fuel debris in October as part of the decommissioning process, which is anticipated to take 30 to 40 years to complete.
Additionally, TEPCO has initiated the release of a fourth batch of treated wastewater from the Fukushima plant into the ocean. Although approved by the United Nations (UN) nuclear watchdog, the process has led China and Russia to impose bans on seafood imports from Japan in response.
The 2011 earthquake and tsunami resulted in approximately 18,000 casualties, with the Fukushima nuclear power facility experiencing one of the worst atomic accidents in history.
