TEPCO Begins Removing Radioactive Rubble Using Robots

It took TEPCO 30 days to begin using remote controlled heavy machinery to remove debris from Fukushima? It took 30 days for this idea!?! While we're not positive how successful this operation will end up being, its definitely an improvement to TEPCO's last idea of sheet wrapping the entire complex.

From NHK World

TEPCO uses unmanned equipment to remove rubble

Tokyo Electric Power Company has begun using unmanned heavy equipment to remove radioactive rubble at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.


Hydrogen explosions blew off the ceilings and walls of the Number One and Number Three reactor buildings. The debris is emitting hundreds of millisieverts of radiation per hour in some places, hindering the restoration work.

The utility started using remote-controlled power shovels and bulldozers to remove the rubble on Sunday afternoon.

Operators are using cameras attached to the equipment as well as 6 fixed cameras at the site to carry out the work from hundreds of meters away.

A lead-covered mobile operating room will be used to remove debris from places that cannot be reached by radio waves.

TEPCO says the rubble will be put into containers and stored at the plant under strict supervision, as it may be contaminated with high levels of radiation.
Sunday, April 10, 2011