Some 25 tons of radioactive water leak from Fukushima-1’s Unit 2

Around 25 metric tons of water, contaminated with radioactive waste, have leaked from Unit 2 of Japan’s wrecked Fukushima-1 nuclear power plant, the NHK television channel reported on August 14, citing the plant’s operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO), Report informs referring to TASS.

The leak was discovered when water started to subside in a reservoir that indicates the amount of water in a cooling pond for spent nuclear fuel from Unit 2. Water level in the pond itself remained within the norm.

An inspection of the reactor building revealed that around 25 tons of water leaked to basements via sewage systems. No outside leak was detected.

The process of pumping water into the cooling pond has been suspended. However, TEPCO claims that it will not cause the fuel to heat up beyond the threshold of 65 degrees Centigrade.

The nuclear disaster at the Fukushima-1 NPP in 2011 was triggered by an earthquake-induced tsunami that devastated the emergency generators which provide power to cool the reactors. This led to three nuclear meltdowns, hydrogen explosions and a massive release of radioactive material, which contaminated the surrounding area. Plans call for fully decommissioning the nuclear facility by 2050.