The IAEA Director General has committed to the IAEA continuing its impartial, independent, and objective safety review as Japan is expected to start discharge into the sea on 24 August

The Government of Japan announced Tuesday that it requested Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) to promptly proceed with its preparations for the discharge into the sea of ALPS treated water stored at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, in accordance with the implementation plan approved by Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority. If there is no interference due to weather or sea conditions, the discharge into the sea is expected to start on 24 August.  

Over the past two years the IAEA has conducted a detailed review of the safety related aspects of handling and discharge of ALPS treated water and issued its comprehensive report 4 July 2023.

The report concluded that the approach and activities for this discharge are consistent with relevant international safety standards and would have a negligible radiological impact on people and the environment.

The Director General of the IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi, has committed to the IAEA continuing its impartial, independent, and objective safety review during the discharge phase.

Therefore, the IAEA and Japan agreed that the IAEA will maintain an onsite presence at Fukushima Daiichi, and the IAEA has opened its IAEA Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS) Office in July 2023.

IAEA staff are working there so that they can continue to monitor and assess these activities on site to ensure that they continue to be consistent with the safety standards, including on the day of the start of the discharge and after.

The IAEA will also publish available data for use by the global community, including the provision of real-time and near real-time monitoring data. As soon as the discharge commences, the IAEA will provide a further update.

This story was originally published at IAEA on 22 August 2023, reposted via PACNEWS.