Japan resumes test removal of fuel debris from crippled nuclear plant

The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power complex on Tuesday has resumed test removal of fuel debris from the crippled nuclear plant, according to local media reports.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began the trial procedure at the No.2 reactor to retrieve a small amount of nuclear fuel debris, NHK World reported.

In November last year, TEPCO successfully retrieved for the first time a tiny piece of melted fuel from a reactor damaged in the massive earthquake and tsunami disaster in 2011.

TEPCO plans to follow a similar method as the first test by inserting a slim pipe-shaped device into the containment vessel and collecting several grams of debris accumulated at the bottom, according to the broadcaster.

The operator hopes to bring the sample out by next week if the process goes smoothly.

Approximately 880 tons of fuel debris remains in three reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which experienced core meltdowns during the nuclear disaster.

The Fukushima nuclear plant was damaged when a magnitude 9 earthquake, followed by a tsunami, struck Japan in 2011.