Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has launched its second trial operation to extract melted nuclear fuel debris from Reactor Unit 2 at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, marking another critical step in the long-term decommissioning process. The 12-day operation, which began on May 15, will involve transporting retrieved debris to a research facility in Ibaraki Prefecture for analysis.
This phase follows a November 2024 trial that successfully removed debris from the reactor’s containment vessel—the first such extraction since the 2011 disaster. The ongoing efforts aim to address approximately 880 metric tons of solidified fuel and materials formed during the meltdowns of Units 1–3 after a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and tsunami crippled the plant’s cooling systems.
Experts describe the removal of fuel debris as one of the most complex challenges in nuclear cleanup history. Progress in this area could provide vital data for managing similar future scenarios and inform global nuclear safety protocols.
