Overview

• TEPCO confirmed that roughly 880 tonnes of melted nuclear fuel debris remains inside the three reactors at Fukushima Daiichi.
• The operator says preparation for full-scale debris removal will now span 12 to 15 years, postponing the start until at least 2037.
• Previous trial missions have retrieved only tiny samples of molten material, with larger extractions yet to begin.
• High radiation levels and structural uncertainties make retrieval the most complex task in a decades-long decommissioning process.
• Despite acknowledging the delay complicates its schedule, TEPCO maintains its target to complete plant decommissioning by 2051.