The full-scale removal of melted nuclear fuel from the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima Daiichi power plant has been delayed by several years, with the operator now targeting 2037 or later for the crucial operation.

Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) announced the setback on Tuesday, underscoring the immense challenges still facing the site.

TEPCO stated that 12 to 15 years of preparation are required before commencing full-scale debris removal at the No. 3 reactor, involving radiation reduction and facility construction.

An estimated 880 tons of melted nuclear fuel and structural debris remain within the three reactors that suffered meltdowns following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

This latest delay further jeopardises the Japanese government and TEPCO’s existing 2051 target for decommissioning the plant.

A test retrieval of a small fuel sample in November was already three years behind schedule, with some experts suggesting the entire decommissioning process could extend beyond a century.

The Unit 3 reactor covered with protective housing at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, run by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) (Associated Press)

TEPCO said it plans to stick to the current completion target of 2051.

“Realistically, we are aware of the difficulty (to achieve the target) but we will not drop the goal just yet, as we still don’t have a clear work schedule after the full-scale removal begins,” said Akira Ono, chief decommissioning officer at TEPCO.

Ono said TEPCO plans to examine preparation work necessary at the two other reactors within the next couple of years ahead of full-scale melted fuel retrieval.

After small missions by robots to gather samples, experts will determine a larger-scale method for removing melted fuel, first at the No. 3 reactor.

In May, Japan announced plans to use slightly radioactive soil, stored near Fukushima nuclear plant, for flower beds outside Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s office.

The move is intended to demonstrate the safety of reusing soil that was removed from Fukushima prefecture during decontamination efforts following the 2011 nuclear disaster. Officials say that some of the soil has now reached levels deemed safe for reuse.

The start of full-scale removal of melted fuel debris at the tsunami-wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan will be delayed for several years, the latest setback announced by the plant’s operator.

The Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, or TEPCO, said it will need 12 to 15 years of preparation – or until 2037 or later – before starting the full-scale removal of melted fuel debris at the No. 3 reactor. The preparation, it said, includes reducing radiation levels and building necessary facilities in and around the reactor.

The Unit 3 reactor, covered with protective housing at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, is run by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO). Eugene Hoshiko / AP

Overall, at least 800 tons of melted nuclear fuel have mixed with broken parts of internal structures and other debris inside the three reactors that suffered meltdowns after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

The delay again sets back the 2051 target set by Japan’s government and TEPCO for decommissioning the plant.

A test retrieval of a tiny sample of melted fuel debris in November was already three years behind, and some experts estimate that the decommissioning work could take more than a century.

TEPCO said it plans to stick to the current completion target of 2051.

“Realistically, we are aware of the difficulty (to achieve the target) but we will not drop the goal just yet, as we still don’t have a clear work schedule after the full-scale removal begins,” said Akira Ono, chief decommissioning officer at TEPCO.

Ono said TEPCO plans to examine preparation work necessary at the two other reactors within the next couple of years, ahead of full-scale melted fuel retrieval.

After small missions by robots to gather samples, experts will determine a larger-scale method for removing melted fuel, first at the No. 3 reactor.

In March 2024, TEPCO released a dozen images taken by the miniature drones sent deep into a badly damaged reactor at the plant, showing displaced control equipment and misshapen materials. The photos were the first from inside the main structural support called the pedestal in the hardest-hit No. 1 reactor’s primary containment vessel, an area directly under the reactor’s core.

Fourteen years after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, workers face hazardous radiation levels and immense psychological strain as they begin the long process of removing melted fuel from the damaged reactors.

Mari Yamaguchi reports for The Associated Press.

In short:

Crews must remove 880 tons of melted nuclear fuel mixed with reactor debris, a process expected to last over a century.

Workers in high-radiation areas wear heavy protective gear that limits visibility, mobility, and breathing while working in brief, high-stress shifts.

Robots assist in fuel retrieval, but technical failures and extreme radiation exposure slow progress, with full-scale removal set to begin in the 2030s.

Key quote:

“Working under high levels of radiation (during a short) time limit made us feel nervous and rushed. It was a difficult assignment.”

— Yasunobu Yokokawa, Fuel Debris Retrieval Program Department

Why this matters:

The Fukushima cleanup is one of the most complex nuclear decommissioning efforts ever attempted, with major risks to workers’ health and safety. Despite stringent safety protocols, radiation exposure remains a serious concern. Workers must navigate hazardous conditions to dismantle reactors that melted down after a tsunami struck the plant.

The decommissioning effort also involves the controversial release of treated wastewater into the Pacific Ocean, a move that has sparked concerns among local fishing communities and neighboring countries. The long-term consequences of the Fukushima disaster stretch beyond Japan. It has reshaped global debates on nuclear energy, with some nations doubling down on safety measures while others have moved away from nuclear power altogether. At the same time, the global push to decarbonize means that many countries, including Japan, are increasing investment and reliance on nuclear energy in spite of the risks.

Related: Japan shifts back to nuclear power despite Fukushima disaster

The removal of highly radioactive fuel from one of the reactors at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant will not begin in earnest for at least another 12 years, delaying the start of the vital piece of the decommissioning project.

The delay is due to a waste processing facility near the reactor that will first need to be demolished, a nuclear advisory agency said on July 29.

More space is needed for equipment that will solidify and then remove lumps of fuel that melted inside the plant’s No. 3 reactor, so plans for large-scale removal are being delayed until after the year 2037, the Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corp. said.

The NDF advises on decommissioning work.

Although originally expected to begin in the early 2030s, after examining the proposed removal method, it became clear that preparations will take at least 12 to 15 years, the NDF said.

Currently, the central government and plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. are working to “complete the decommissioning of the plant by 2051.” The setback to the fuel removal schedule means the 2051 plan may also be delayed.

In the March 2011 accident following the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, three reactors at the Fukushima nuclear power plant melted down.

The cores and basements of the buildings are estimated to contain 880 tons of debris comprising melted fuel rods, fuel casings and other components, much of the material highly radioactive. Removal of the debris is considered the most challenging part of the decommissioning process.

In November 2024 and in April of this year, debris removal was trialed in the No. 2 reactor, but only about 0.9 gram of material was retrieved.

Until now, the NDF has been considering three methods for removal: partial submersion, which involves spraying water on the debris while removing it; full submersion, which involves filling the reactor with water; and the filling and solidification method, which involves solidifying the debris with filler material and then scraping it out.

The full submersion method is difficult to implement because the damage to the building of No. 3 reactor is severe. Water will simply drain out.

Therefore, the NDF has determined that this method would be too challenging for a range of reasons.

Instead, the NDF recommended that TEPCO combine the partial submersion method with the filling and solidification method, which can suppress radiation levels.

TEPCO accepted the proposal and has decided to adopt this approach, the NDF said.

Specifically, small holes will be made in the upper part of the No. 3 reactor building and filling materials will be injected into the debris as needed. The plan is to crush the resulting material into smaller pieces and remove them one by one.

Removal will need the construction of devices that enable the debris to be pulled out while containing radioactive materials that would otherwise be scattered, the NDF said.

The combination method will need a large area for equipment to be built. This space is unavailable currently. So first, the nuclear waste processing facility located to the north of No. 3 reactor must be demolished.

This facility stores highly radioactive waste, and the demolition itself may take a considerable amount of time.

(This article was written by Yusuke Ogawa and Fumi Yada.)

Radiation levels at Japan ’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have dropped significantly since the cataclysmic meltdown 14 years ago on Tuesday. Workers walk around in many areas wearing only surgical masks and regular clothes.

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It is a different story for those entering the reactor buildings, including the three damaged in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. They must use maximum protection – full face masks with filters, multilayered gloves and socks, shoe covers, hooded hazmat boiler suit and a waterproof jacket, and a helmet.

As workers remove melted fuel debris from the reactors in a monumental nuclear clean-up effort that could take more than a century, they are facing both huge amounts of psychological stress and dangerous levels of radiation.

Read on for some of the challenges associated with the plant’s clean-up:

Recalcitrant robots

A remote-controlled extendable robot with a tong had several mishaps including equipment failures before returning in November with a tiny piece of melted fuel from inside the damaged No 2 reactor.