TEPCO to Resume Nuclear Debris Removal Work Tues.

Tokyo, Sept. 9 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. said Monday it will resume on Tuesday morning experimental work to remove nuclear fuel debris from a reactor at its meltdown-stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in northeastern Japan.

On Saturday and Sunday, TEPCO rearranged the five pipes of the debris removal equipment that were initially installed in the wrong order, a factor that led to the postponement of the removal work, which was to start on Aug. 22.

TEPCO President Tomoaki Kobayakawa confirmed the move on a camera from a remote control room when he visited the plant on Monday, according to the company.

The pipes were installed by a partner company in July, but TEPCO never checked their order.

TEPCO plans to spend some two weeks to remove up to 3 grams of nuclear fuel debris from the bottom of the containment vessel of the No. 2 reactor, by inserting the equipment into the vessel.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]