16-2-2024 (TOKYO) Approximately 5.5 tons of nuclear sewage leaked from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on the 7th, according to a press conference held by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) on the 15th. The company confirmed that the incident was caused by human error.
TEPCO explained that on the morning of the 7th, employees were engaged in cleaning nuclear sewage equipment transferred from the reactor building to the high-temperature incinerator building. The cleaning aimed to reduce radiation levels and prepare for subsequent inspections and maintenance. During the process, the equipment was connected to the exterior wall’s exhaust outlet. Unfortunately, employees failed to notice that 10 out of the 16 valves, intended to be closed, remained open.
Initially, it was estimated that around 5.5 tons of nuclear sewage had leaked, containing radioactive materials such as cesium and strontium, totaling approximately 22 billion becquerels. However, this estimate has been revised down to 6.6 billion becquerels.
TEPCO highlighted that the work manual did not clearly specify the need to close relevant valves during the cleaning procedures. The company acknowledged the oversight and emphasized that measures are being implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future.
