Press Releases
Publication of the IAEA Report on the mission to review the discharge of ALPS treated water from TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station into the sea
January 30, 2024
- On January 30, 2024, the IAEA published a report on its first review mission conducted in October 2023 after the start of the discharge of ALPS treated water from TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) into the sea.
- This IAEA review is based on the Terms of Reference (TOR) on reviews of safety aspects of handling ALPS treated water signed in July 2021 with the IAEA.
- This IAEA report includes the following major conclusions;
- In its reviews and observations, the Task Force did not identify anything that is inconsistent with the requirements in the relevant international safety standards. Therefore, the IAEA can reaffirm the fundamental conclusions of its safety review as outlined in the 4 July 2023 Comprehensive Report.
- Based on its observations at the FDNPS, the Task Force confirmed that the equipment and facilities are installed and operated in a manner that is consistent with the Implementation Plan and the relevant international safety standards.
- The independent review by the IAEA, an international organization with authority in the field of nuclear energy, is extremely important in ensuring reliability and transparency regarding the safety of the discharge of ALPS treated water into the sea and fostering better understanding among the international community. The Government of Japan will continue to work firmly to gain further understanding of ALPS treated water from the international community.
(Reference1) ALPS treated water
ALPS treated water is water which is processed by devices such as ALPS (Advanced Liquid Processing System) to ensure that the concentration of the radioactive materials other than tritium surely meet the regulatory standards for safety. In addition, ALPS treated water is sufficiently diluted before the discharges into the sea so that radioactive materials including tritium is far below the regulatory standards for safety.
(Reference2) Previous published reports on IAEA’s Safety Review
- The 1st report (PDF)
- The 2nd report (PDF)
published on June 16th, 2022, describes the details of IAEA’s review mission to the Nuclear Regulation Authority conducted in March 2022, related to five technical topics, including the responsibilities and functions of the government, major principles and safety objectives, and authorization process. - The 3rd report (PDF)
published on December 29, 2022, describes the IAEA’s planned activities for the analysis and data corroboration of source monitoring of the ALPS treated water, environmental monitoring, and occupational radiation protection for workers at the FDNPS. - The 4rd report (PDF)
published on April 5, 2023, describes the details of IAEA’s review mission to METI and TEPCO conducted in November 2022, related to eight different technical areas, including the characterization of discharge and source term, the safety-related aspects of system and processes for controlling discharges, and the radiological environmental impact assessment. - The 5th report (PDF)
published on May 4, 2023, describes the details of IAEA’s review mission to the Nuclear Regulation Authority conducted in January 2023, related to the five technical topics, including the responsibilities and function of the government, major principles and safety objectives, and authorization process. - The report “First Interlaboratory Comparison on the Determination of Radionuclides in ALPS Treated Water” published on 31May, 2023, summarizes the results of an interlaboratory comparison (ILC) on the determination of radionuclides in ALPS treated water conducted under the IAEA’s safety review. (PDF)
- The report “IAEA Comprehensive Report on the Safety Review of the ALPS-Treated Water at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station” published on July 4, 2023, summarizes a series of review which was conducted by the IAEA before the start of the discharge of ALPS treated water. (PDF)