TEPCO Deploys Remote Robotic Arm Inside Fukushima Reactor for Debris Survey
Tokyo Electric Power Co. began inserting a remote-controlled robotic arm into the No. 2 reactor’s containment vessel at Fukushima Daiichi to map and clear obstacles ahead of a planned fuel-debris retrieval.
On Friday, Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings Inc. started the insertion of a remote-operated robotic arm into the containment vessel of the No. 2 reactor at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant. The arm, previously folded inside a metal container, passed through a valve and entered the vessel through the X-6 side opening at 10 a.m. TEPCO plans a three- to four-month phase to cut through steel rails, clear other obstacles and gather detailed three-dimensional imagery of the interior.
This preparatory work precedes a third attempt to extract melted fuel debris, which, together with earlier trials in 2024 and 2025, has so far recovered only about 0.9 grams. An estimated 880 tons of fuel debris remain, hidden behind high radiation that prevents human entry. The robotic arm, equipped with multiple joints and interchangeable tools, will also be supported by a two-armed robot that swaps tools as needed. Development of the arm began in 2017 by the now-defunct International Research Institute for Nuclear Decommissioning and a British nuclear firm, with roughly 7.8 billion yen of government funding spent on the project.
Why it matters
The operation could determine how Japan finally removes hazardous fuel from Fukushima, affecting safety and decommissioning timelines.
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