More leaks and storage mishaps involving contaminated water at Fukushima Daiichi drew a rebuke from Japanese regulators this week.
Recent developments at the Tokyo Electric Power Co. plant blacked out following Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami include:
Water Overflows from ALPS Tank
About 1 metric ton of contaminated water leaked inside an ALPS treatment system building Wednesday. TEPCO officials said a container collecting water during cleaning overflowed, Japan Today and other outlets reported. The water contained radioactive contaminants measured at 3.8 million becquerels per liter. It did not escape the building.
Water Pumped into Wrong Building
Crews pumped more than 200 metric tons of contaminated water into the basement of an incineration building reserved for emergency storage last week. On Monday TEPCO said workers likely switched on temporary pumps connected to the structure by mistake. The Mainichi Daily News reported that cesium in the water was measured at 37 million becquerels per liter. No leaks from the basement were reported. On Sunday, a storage tank containing treated water with lower levels of contamination leaked in a different area of the plant.
Jiji Press reported Thursday that Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority will ask TEPCO to implement tighter management and monitoring at Fukushima Daiichi in response to recent mistakes. Specifically, the regulator is considering requirements for locks on the panels that contain pump controls and the installation of additional security cameras.