Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has announced that a significant leak of untreated water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was caused by personnel failing to close several valves. The incident, which occurred on February 7, was discussed in a news conference held by TEPCO on Thursday.
An ongoing investigation revealed that out of 16 valves on the filtering equipment’s pipes that were supposed to be closed, 10 remained open due to oversight. This lapse led to the spill of approximately 1.5 tonnes of water containing around 6.6 billion becquerels of radioactive material.
Initially, TEPCO had reported a leak of about 5.5 tonnes of water containing 22 billion becquerels of cesium-137 and other radioactive substances. The company has since revised these figures following further examination.
TEPCO admitted that the operation manual lacked clear instructions regarding the closure of the valves, contributing to the workers’ error. A spokesperson stated, “We acknowledge the shortcomings in our operational protocols and are committed to implementing measures to prevent such incidents in the future.”
The utility company has begun questioning the workers involved and is reviewing its safety procedures to enhance operational clarity and prevent recurrence. The Fukushima Daiichi plant, devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, has been under scrutiny for its handling of radioactive materials and decommissioning efforts.
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TEPCO: Water leak at Fukushima power plant caused by open valves
cgtn.com
