Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) is now challenged with the disposal and storage of 1,000 tanks of water, which is likely to require reprocessing before the water can be released into the ocean. This poses a considerable threat to the Fukushima's plant's decommissioning, as it may seriously delay the process, Reuters reported.
READ MORE: Japan Continues Returning Residents to Fukushima Areas, Ignoring Health Risks
Moreover, according to authorities' estimates, cited by the news agency, the overall pricing of the facility's cleanup, the decontamination of affected areas and compensation may reach 21.5 trillion yen ($192.5 billion), one-fifth of the country's annual budget.
In March 2011, a 9.0-magnitude offshore earthquake triggered a tsunami that hit Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant, leading to the leakage of radioactive materials and a shutdown of the plant. The accident is considered to be the world's worst nuclear disaster since the 1986 tragedy in Chernobyl, which was at the time located in Soviet Ukraine.
