IAEA Will Ensure Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastewater at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, Grossi: Our Task Has Not Been Done

JAKARTA - The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Tuesday that his party would ensure the safety of the process of disposing of radioactive wastewater from Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.

The head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, yesterday submitted the results of an assessment of Japan's plan to release water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which has been carried out for two years, to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

In uploading a video on his Twitter account, Grossi said the results of the assessment confirmed that Japan's plan complies with IAEA security standards. However, according to him, it is not enough.

"As I promised, our work here is not finished, just evaluating plans is not enough," Grossi said quoting his Twitter, Tuesday, July 5.

"A clean sea is important for all of us," he said.

The IAEA agreed to conduct a review of Japan's water discharge policy in 2021 and has since discussed all the key elements of the plan, including safety, regulatory activities and independent water sampling.

The IAEA also said a review by country regulatory authorities of the plan was appropriate.

Grossi reiterated in Tuesday's press conference that the IAEA would ensure the disposal of the water would be carried out safely, with the agency planning to be present on site, as well as providing direct online monitoring via the IAEA website.

"This will ensure relevant international safety standards continue to be applied throughout the decades-long process laid down by the Japanese government and TEPCO," he said, referring to power plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc, as quoted by Kyodo News July 5.

"The IAEA will continue to provide transparency to the international community, enabling all stakeholders to rely on verified facts and science," said Grossi.

In a previous assessment, the IAEA said neither it nor third-party laboratories "detected significant levels of additional radionuclides" from the treated water, adding that TEPCO's sample collection procedures and analysis methods were appropriate and suitable for the purpose.

Meanwhile, TEPCO said on Tuesday it would use the IAEA's input to ensure the safety of water releases, and its related activities would continue to be under the agency's review based on international safety standards.

The utility completed construction work on the disposal facility by the end of June, and the Nuclear Regulatory Authority is expected to announce the results of a final inspection of the facility before disposal begins.