The decommissioning work at unit 3 has largely stalled after a series of containment inspections. TEPCO has moved forward with the removal of spent fuel from the pool and was actively doing this work in 2020. Unit 3 will be more complex than similar work at unit 2. TEPCO and the various research entities hope to learn from the decommissioning work at unit 2 before they implement a specific plan for unit 3.
Spent Fuel Removal Scheduled: Ongoing as of 2021
Fuel Debris Removal Scheduled:
Spent Fuel Removal
By February of 2021, all of the undamaged spent fuel was removed from the spent fuel pool. This was after years of work to get to that point. The fuel handling crane had fallen in the pool during the explosion at unit 3. The remains of the refueling floor needed to be removed and a defueling building installed. High radiation levels complicated this preparation work. In 2021, inspections were conducted towards removing high-level radioactive materials, control rods, and the remaining damaged fuel from the building.
Fukushima Unit 3 Spent Fuel – All Removed
Planned Completion Of Fukushima Unit 3 Spent Fuel Removal
Fukushima Unit 3 Spent Fuel Damage Identified
Fukushima Unit 3 Spent Fuel Removal To Start Fall Of 2018
TEPCO Adds Low Tech Water Injection to Unit 3 Spent Fuel Pool
Fukushima Unit 3 Cover Building Installation Underway
TEPCO Begins Installing Unit 3 Defueling Building
Fukushima Unit 3 Spent Fuel Removal Work Begins
Fukushima Unit 3 Fuel Crane Removed From Spent Fuel Pool
Fukushima Unit 3 Crane To Be Removed From Pool August 2nd
Fukushima Unit 3 Fuel Crane To Be Removed This Week
Fukushima Unit 3 Decommissioning Plan Released
Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 Spent Fuel Pool Gate Inspected
Fukushima Unit 3 Spent Fuel Pool Gate Damaged
Fukushima Unit 3 Decommissioning Plan Released
Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 Fuel Removal To Start Within Year
Fuel Debris Removal
Fuel debris removal has been on hold after a series of containment inspections took place leading up to 2017. Lessons learned from work underway at unit 2 will help build the plan for unit 3’s eventual fuel removal. What was found on the series of inspections did not bode well. Signs of significant damage and the high water level may complicate future work. Leaks from the containment vessel were found in 2021 after an earthquake in the region. This has raised questions about the ability of the containment structure to withstand future decommissioning activities. In 2020 work began to drain contaminated water out of the suppression chamber torus tube to improve earthquake resistance. Fuel debris and pieces of fuel assemblies and control rods were found in the reactor pedestal area along with significant damage to the platform and other structures in that location. This tracks with the muon scans in 2017 that found no significant amount of fuel remained inside the reactor vessel.
Fukushima Daiichi Unit 3 New Containment Leaks
Fukushima Unit 3 Suppression Chamber To Be Drained
Fukushima Unit 3 – New Unanswered Questions
New Discovery At Fukushima Unit 3 Provides Clues To Meltdown Severity, Environmental Releases
The Surprise Found Inside Fukushima Unit 3
Fukushima Experts Tell All On Unit 3
New Fukushima Unit 3 Videos Provide More Clues
Fukushima Unit 3 Muon Scan Finds NO FUEL In Reactor Vessel
Fukushima Unit 3 Inspections Find More Melted Fuel
Fuel Residue Found In Fukushima Unit 3
Fukushima Unit 3 Containment Inspection Starts With A Surprise
Fukushima Unit 3 3D Torus Scans Begin
Fukushima Unit 3 New Hatch Investigation
Fukushima Unit 3 Second Containment Inspection Results
Fukushima Unit 3 First Photos Inside Containment
Fukushima Unit 3 Containment Probe On October 20th
Fukushima Unit 3 Containment Inspection To Start October 2015
TEPCO Submits Plan For Fuel Removal At Unit 3 Fukushima Daiichi