Fukushima Nuclear Plant Achieves Milestone in Fuel Debris Removal

A small sample of melted nuclear fuel has been successfully extracted from the Fukushima Daiichi plant, marking a key step in the decades-long decommissioning process.

The retrieved sample, weighing less than three grams and the size of a grain of rice, is the first to be extracted from inside a reactor since the 2011 disaster.
This operation utilized a specially designed robot, named Telesco, after previous attempts were delayed by technical difficulties.
The sample's radioactivity was significantly lower than expected, raising questions about the extraction area but confirming it as melted fuel.
Data from the sample will aid in developing future decommissioning strategies and technologies, essential for handling the remaining 880 tons of radioactive debris.
Experts express skepticism about the current 30-to-40-year cleanup timeline, suggesting it may take a century or more to fully decommission the site.