https://www.usnews.com/news/world-r...-radioactive-fukushima-water-into-the-pacific
Radioactive water from Japan's destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant may have to be dumped into the ocean, the country's energy minister reportedly said Tuesday, igniting concern and anger from nuclear safety experts and Japan's neighbors in the region.
The electric utility overseeing the crippled power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company, or Tepco, is running out of room to store the contaminated water, the minister, Yoshiaki Harada, said at a news conference. The water has built to a stockpile of more than 1 million metric tons, taken from cooling pipes being used to keep the plant's fuel cores from melting.
Tepco has said that it will run out of room to store contaminated water from the Fukushima plant in as soon as three years. A government panel is expected to offer its recommendations in the coming months.
However, the energy minister on Tuesday said that the country had few alternatives.
"The only option will be to drain it into the sea and dilute it," Harada said. "The whole of the government will discuss this, but I would like to offer my simple opinion."
Radioactive water from Japan's destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant may have to be dumped into the ocean, the country's energy minister reportedly said Tuesday, igniting concern and anger from nuclear safety experts and Japan's neighbors in the region.
The electric utility overseeing the crippled power plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company, or Tepco, is running out of room to store the contaminated water, the minister, Yoshiaki Harada, said at a news conference. The water has built to a stockpile of more than 1 million metric tons, taken from cooling pipes being used to keep the plant's fuel cores from melting.
Tepco has said that it will run out of room to store contaminated water from the Fukushima plant in as soon as three years. A government panel is expected to offer its recommendations in the coming months.
However, the energy minister on Tuesday said that the country had few alternatives.
"The only option will be to drain it into the sea and dilute it," Harada said. "The whole of the government will discuss this, but I would like to offer my simple opinion."