N-Debris Removal Trial Halt Due to Prep Failures: TEPCO

Tokyo, Sept. 5 (Jiji Press)--Failures to check the order of equipment for removing nuclear fuel debris from a reactor at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant led to the suspension of experimental debris-removal work last month, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. said Thursday.

The order in which pipes should be attached to a device by a partner company to remove nuclear fuel debris from the No. 2 reactor at the disaster-stricken plant was not confirmed in advance by TEPCO and others, according to a report released by the operating company.

TEPCO plans to resume experimental nuclear-fuel removal work as early as next week, after arranging the pipes in the correct order.

The work was to begin on Aug. 22, but the start was postponed after a mistake was found in the order in which five pipes were arranged before being attached to the debris-removal device.

According to TEPCO, partner company workers brought four pipes into the reactor building on July 27, one fewer than planned, due to high radiation levels, and arranged them in the wrong order.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]