U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz toured Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station and reaffirmed U.S. support in the cleanup and decommissioning of the facility that was destroyed in March 2011 by an earthquake and tsunami, the DOE announced Friday.
"From the beginning, the United States has worked to support the government of Japan in the immediate response efforts and in recovery, decommissioning, and cleanup activities,” Moniz said. “Within days of the accident, the Department of Energy sent a team of 34 experts and more than 17,000 pounds of equipment in support of efforts to manage the crisis.”
Utility crews are struggling to contain leaks of highly radioactive water that is flowing from under the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. It has been estimated that some 300 tons of toxic water enters the ocean each day.
Despite many setbacks, Japan has come a long way in dealing with spent fuel removal activities with water challenges, Moniz said.
The U.S. and Japan have created the Bilateral Commission, which was set in place to strengthen the strategic and practical engagement on civil nuclear research and development. It also was established to help in emergency responses, nuclear safety regulatory matters, and nuclear security and nonproliferation.
“As Japan continues to chart its sovereign path forward on the cleanup at the Fukushima site and works to determine the future of their energy economy, the United States stands ready to continue assisting our partners in this daunting yet indispensable task,” Moniz said.
Fukushima Power Plant Two Years Later: Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz Tours Ruin, Reaffirms US Support
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