Nuclear Meltdown

Japan stores highly radioactive water

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-04-19 11:19

TOKYO - Operator of the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant, devastated by the March 11 quake and tsunami, began Tuesday to move the highly radioactive water to a storage facility, according to media reports.

The removal work started at around 10 am local time, when workers moved the highly-contaminated water at the basement of the No. 2 reactor turbine building to a nearby storage facility, Jiji news agency said.

Tokyo Electric Power Co.(TEPCO) said it is planning to move 10,000 tons out of the 25,000 tons of the highly radioactive water in the basement within 26 days, the report said.

Radioactive water was found in the basements of the No.1 to 3 reactors' turbine buildings, and the nearby trenches connected to them. The water totaled about 60,000 tons.

Removing the water to nearby tanks and other storage places is considered vital to the attempt of restoring the key cooling functions at the reactors.