Aug 25, 2023 15:00:00

IAEA launches web page for monitoring ALPS treated water discharge system at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, which was severely damaged by the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, produced contaminated water containing a large amount of radioactive substances. This contaminated water has been purified by an advanced liquid processing system ( ALPS ) until it meets the regulatory standards for environmental release. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has published a web page that allows you to monitor the treated water discharge system.

Data from Fukushima Daiichi ALPS Treated Water Discharge | IAEA

https://www.iaea.org/topics/response/fukushima-daiichi-nuclear-accident/fukushima-daiichi-alps-treated-water-discharge/tepco-data

The IAEA explains in the animation below how the ALPS-treated water is discharged.

Handling of ALPS Treated Water-Video animation-YouTube


After the ALPS-treated water is sent to the tank of the discharge facility, it is purified again at the secondary treatment facility as necessary, and it is confirmed that radioactive substances other than tritium (tritium) are below the regulation standard value. Masu. In addition, the Ministry of the Environment states that the radiation emitted by tritium is a very weak beta ray that hardly accumulates in the body, and that the effects on the human body due to external exposure are unthinkable.

ALPS-treated water that has been confirmed to be below regulatory standards is sent to a tank for measurement, and when preparations for release are complete, it is transferred to a tank for release.

ALPS treated water is piped from the discharge tank.

Pumped seawater is added to the pipes carrying this treated water, diluting the treated water.

Instead of being discharged on site, the treated water is discharged through a 1km long tunnel into an area where commercial fishing has been restricted since 2011.

The IAEA is measuring radiation at the facility after the release tank, the pipe before mixing with seawater, the pump for pumping seawater, and the water tank just before discharge, and the results are published on

the monitoring page . Please note that the data used in the monitoring page is not directly measured by the IAEA, but is sent from TEPCO.

The following infographics for monitoring are displayed. The evaluation of the measurement result is shown in color along with the numerical value. The corresponding part is not operating or is under maintenance', red indicates that 'the data reported by TEPCO to the IAEA is at an abnormal level and TEPCO needs to take action' . At the time of writing the article, all measurement points were green.