When the accident occurred in March 2011, Units 1~3 were online and had fuel in their reactors. Even though the reactors automatically scrammed after the earthquake, the tsunami rendered power sources and equipment used to cool the fuel, which generates a great amount of heat even after reactor shutdown, useless, thereby allowing the fuel to overheat and melt along with other structures inside the reactor. This fuel cooled and solidified thereby turning into what we refer to as “fuel debris.” We are currently using remotely operated robots to investigate conditions inside the containment vessels where the fuel debris exists, and engaging in various investigations and deliberations that focus on how to remove this fuel debris.
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