Fukushima Daiichi NPS Prompt Report 2014

*Note: As of August 1 2014, we have made the following correction on our homepage.
[Original] ultimate goal of treating all the contaminated water stored at Fukushima Daiichi by the end of FY 2016
[Revised] ultimate goal of treating all the contaminated water stored at Fukushima Daiichi by the end of FY 2014

FUKUSHIMA, Japan, July 31, 2014- The advanced water treatment system at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, known as "ALPS" (for Advanced Liquid Processing System), part of a major initiative to expand and upgrade water treatment at the site, is expected begin full-scale operation within this year, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) announced.

The system was recently upgraded and restarted after earlier problems had surfaced with parts that had worn out prematurely. Now, after upgrades to its durability, it is expected to receive enhancements to its ability to remove additional radioactive nuclides. Those enhancements have been tested and are expected to receive regulatory approval, after which they will be installed and the system will then shift from its trial phase to become fully operational later this year.

The ALPS system, which consists of Japanese and international technologies, was first installed at Fukushima Daiichi in October 2012, and is designed to remove most remaining radioactive contaminants ("nuclides") in water that has had to be stored at the facility. The system, the first of its type in the world on such a large scale (full capacity reaches up to 750 tons per day), has processed a total of approximately 100,000 tons of water in the trial operation so far. The enhancements are adsorption devices capable of bringing four remaining nuclides down to within regulatory limits, something that ALPS had previously been unable to achieve.

Full-scale operation will represent an important step towards dramatic expansion of the ALPS capability through the installation of two additional similar facilities in September and October this year, with the ultimate goal of treating all the contaminated water stored at Fukushima Daiichi by the end of FY ^*2014. This system expansion will take place in tandem with two other TEPCO initiatives to reduce Strontium levels in water at the facility.

To learn more about the update, please go to http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/roadmap/images/d140731_01-e.pdf

About TEPCO

Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc. (TEPCO) is Japan's largest power company, supplying energy to the greater Kanto area, including Japan's two most populous cities, Tokyo and Yokohama. Its 35,000 employees are committed to providing safe, reliable power to its 28.8 million customers, diversifying energy resources to ensure sustainability, and contributing to economic growth while fully meeting its responsibilities after the Fukushima Daiichi accident.
TEPCO website: http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/index-e.html
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