Jeremy L. Dillon
RW Monitor
7/25/2014
The Mitsubishi Research Institute, the Japanese government decommissioning representative, has issued a Request for Proposals for studies to analyze innovative approaches for fuel debris retrieval at the Fukushima-Daiichi power plant. The fuel debris removal at Fukushima has been described as one of the most difficult aspects of the project, and MRI, along with the International Research Institute for Nuclear Decommissioning, issued a Request for Information last year for new ways to approach the challenge. The organizations received close to 200 responses, and decided that the next step would take the form of an RFP for three study areas: a conceptual study of innovative methods to retrieve fuel debris in air, in the event that the primary containment vessel cannot be filled with water; a feasibility study of innovative technologies to allow visual and other measurements of the reactor internals and the location and condition of the fuel debris; and a feasibility study of innovative technologies to allow cutting and removal of the fuel debris. Respondents have until Aug. 27 to submit their proposals.
MRI sees the RFP as the next step in developing the correct methodology and technology for the cleanup. “In this project, based on the ‘Grant Policy for Subsidy for the Project of Decommissioning and Contaminated Water Management,’ we are assisting activities in support of the development of technologies that will be useful in decommissioning and contaminated water management,” MRI said. “Through this, we aim to improve the level of science and technology and to advance decommissioning and contaminated water management smoothly in Japan.” Any work on the fuel debris removal needs to wait until the spent fuel pools in Reactors 1-3 are drained. TEPCO expects to have that portion completed by 2020.
