Fukushima Daiichi Status Updates

On 9 July 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update shows that all radionuclides (i.e. Cs-134, Cs-137, total Beta and H-3) have remained low and stable from 29 June to 5 July 2014 at the sampling points T-1 and T-2-1. The NRA also provided an update on sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

On 1 July 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update shows that all radionuclides (i.e. Cs-134, Cs-137, total Beta and H-3) have remained low and stable from 22 to 28 June 2014 at the sampling points T-1 and T-2-1. The NRA also provided an update on the sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

On 24 June 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update shows that all radionuclides (i.e. Cs-134, Cs-137, total Beta and H-3) have remained low and stable from 15 to 21 June 2014 at the sampling points T-1 and T-2-1. TEPCO additionally reported to the NRA that it discharged 833 tonnes, 1563 tonnes, 1443 tonnes and 1765 tonnes of groundwater on 2, 8, 14 and 20 June respectively at Fukushima NPS to the ocean by means of the groundwater bypass system.

The NRA also provided an update on the sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

The Japanese Government has provided the IAEA with a report that summarizes the events and highlights the progress related to recovery operations at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The IAEA has provided its assessments which is contained in full at the end of the report.

In general, it is expected that the situation onsite will remain very challenging as the recovery operations progress. Based on the information that has been made available, the IAEA considers that all members of the public are safe and that the food supply is safe and is being appropriately managed.

The Agency welcomes the Japanese Government's issuance of this information to the IAEA Member States and the public, detailing the current status of the recovery operations. The IAEA will continue to share such valuable information as it is provided.

The report can be accessed here.

On 20 June 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with updated information in a report dated 11 June 2014 on the monitoring of air dose rates around the "road/its adjacent area and vacant land lot" at Fukushima Daiichi after the nuclear power plant accident. The report can be accessed here.

On 17 June 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update shows that all radionuclides (i.e. Cs-134, Cs-137, total Beta and H-3) have remained low and stable from 8 to 14 June 2014 at the sampling points T-1 and T-2-1. These sampling points near Fukushima NPS are sentinels to assess effects on the environment by incidents including a leakage of contaminated water.

The Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) also provided an update on the sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

On 11 June 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update highlights two reports submitted by TEPCO to the NRA regarding water leaks from top notch tanks to the dike surrounding these tanks at the Fukushima Daiichi NPS. The first TEPCO report on 2 June 2014 states that it stopped the water leaks from the top notch tanks and transferred 4 cubic metre of water remaining in a dike to another tank. The second TEPCO report, on 9 June 2014, states that the amount of water leaked from the two top notch tanks through the dike to the ground surface was estimated to be approximately 3.4 cubic metres at most.

Taking into account all information related to the water leaks thus far, the NRA considers the effects of water leaks to the sea area are unlikely to appear.

The NRA also provided an update on sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

On 3 June 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with information that TEPCO has discharged 641 tonnes of groundwater at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS) to the ocean on 27 May 2014 by means of the groundwater bypass system.

The update further provides measurements of seawater obtained at the sampling points T-1 and T-2-1 on 25 to 31 May 2014. The groundwater discharge had no recognizable effect in these measurement.

The NRA also provided an update of sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

On 30 May 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an announcement it had sent to embassies, consular posts and international organizations in Japan that groundwater at the Fukushima Daiichi NPS will be released for the third time on 2 June 2014.

TEPCO also announced the detailed analysis results of groundwater which is planned to be released on 2 June 2014. All these results show that the radioactive levels of sampled water are substantially below the operational targets. Each target is set by TEPCO and these operational targets are set at very low level compared to the legal discharge limits.

On 28 May 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with a message that TEPCO has transferred 836 out of 1 533 spent and new fuel assemblies that were stored in the Unit 4 spent fuel pool to the common spent fuel pool on the site on 13 May 2014.

The initial transfer count has been updated by TEPCO and they are presently at 924 of 1 533 assemblies as reported on its web site.

On 27 May 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update shows that TEPCO has reported to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) that it discharged 561 tonnes of groundwater to the ocean by means of the groundwater bypass system on 21 May 2014. TEPCO also reported to the NRA that it discharged 641 tonnes of groundwater to the ocean on 27 May 2014. The update further provides measurements of seawater obtained at the sampling points T-1 and T-2-1 on 22 to 24 May which are taken at early morning every day. The effects of groundwater discharge had no recognizable effect in these measurement.

The NRA also provided an update of sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

On 26 May 2014, Japan forwarded to the IAEA a message it had sent to all missions, consular posts, embassies and international organisations in Japan announcing that groundwater at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station will be released for the second time on 27 May 2014.

TEPCO has made detailed analysis of results of the groundwater to be released, and all these results show that that the radioactive levels of sampled water are substantially below the operational targets.

TEPCO has also been providing measurement data related to the ground water bypass in documents such as the following: http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/f1/smp/2014/images/gw_drainage_140523-e.pdf, which are posted here.

On 21 May 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update shows that TEPCO has completed discharging 561 tonnes of groundwater to the ocean by means of the groundwater bypass system. The discharging started at UTC 1:25 and was completed at UTC 3:42 0n 21 May 2014. Current information on radioactivity in seawater shows that all radionuclides (i.e. Cs-134, Cs-137, total Beta and H-3) have remained low and stable from 13 May 2013 to 12 May 2014. These sampling points near Fukushima NPS are sentinels to assess effects on the environment by incidents including a leakage of contaminated water.

The NRA also provided an update on the sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

On 20 May 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with a message that TEPCO is preparing to begin discharging uncontaminated ground water into the ocean on 21 May 2014 by means of the groundwater bypass system.

TEPCO has also provided a detailed press release with additional information on their web site.

On 14 May 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update shows that all radionuclides (i.e. Cs-134, Cs-137, total Beta and H-3) have remained low and stable from 5 April to 11 May 2014 at the sampling points T-1 and T-2-1. These sampling points near Fukushima NPS are sentinels to assess effects on the environment by incidents including a leakage of contaminated water.

The NRA also provided an update on the sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

On 13 May 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to the radiation monitoring plan for Japan, originally developed on 2 August 2011 by the Monitoring Coordination Meeting set up under the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters.

The following organizations participate in the Monitoring Coordination Meeting: Nuclear Regulation Authority, Fisheries Agency, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan Coast Guard, Japan Meteorological Agency, Ministry of the Environment; Fukushima Prefectural Government and Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc.

This update to the radiation monitoring plan was originally released in Japanese on 1 April 2014 and has now been translated into English.

On 8 May 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update shows that all radionuclides (i.e. Cs-134, Cs-137, total Beta and H-3) have remained low and stable from 28 April to 5 May 2014 at the sampling points T-1 and T-2-1. These sampling points near Fukushima NPS are sentinels to assess effects on the environment by incidents including a leakage of contaminated water.

The NRA also provided an update on the sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

On 2 May 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update shows that all radionuclides (i.e. Cs-134, Cs-137, total Beta and H-3) have remained at a low level as indicated in the data collected from 21-28 April 2014 at the sampling points T-1 and T-2-1. These sampling points near Fukushima NPS are sentinels to assess effects on the environment by incidents including a leakage of contaminated water.

The NRA also provided an update on the sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

TEPCO also provided a document outlining an agreement they signed with Sellafield, which is available here.

On 23 April 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update shows that all radionuclides (i.e. Cs-134, Cs-137, total Beta and H-3) have remained at a low level as indicated in the data collected from 14-20 April 2014 at the sampling points T-1 and T-2-1. These sampling points near Fukushima NPS are sentinels to assess effects on the environment by incidents including a leakage of contaminated water.

The NRA also provided an update on the sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

On 18 April 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with an update to current information on radioactivity in seawater at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS).

The update shows that all radionuclides (i.e. Cs-134, Cs-137, total Beta and H-3) returned to a low level, as it was described in the previous F-1 Issues that the levels of Cs-134 and Cs-137 at T-1 and T-2-1 and total Beta at T-2-1 on 4 April 2014 were likely to be elevated temporarily. These sampling points near Fukushima NPS are sentinels to assess effects on the environment by incidents including a leakage of contaminated water.

The NRA also provided an update on the sea area monitoring results for radioactivity obtained from sea water samples taken at a distance of 2 to 200 kilometres from TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

On 16 April 2014, Japan provided the IAEA with information about the accidental transfer of contaminated water from the Central Waste Building to the Incineration Building, both located onsite at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS), and which was reported on 13 April 2014. None of this water was reported to have leaked outside.

TEPCO has provided a bit more detailed figure of the configuration here and here.

TEPCO also provided information on a very minor leak here.