Tritium Level Far Below Japan’s Operational Limit in 17th Batch of ALPS-Treated Water, IAEA Confirms

Independent sampling and analysis by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on the 17th batch of Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS)-treated water, which Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began discharging today from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), confirms that the tritium concentration is far below Japan's operational limit.

As part of its ongoing safety review, the IAEA collected samples of this latest batch from the discharge vertical shaft and seawater pipe header where ALPS treated water is diluted with seawater before being discharged through a one-kilometre-long tunnel into the sea. On-site analysis confirmed that the tritium concentration is far below Japan's operational limit of 1,500 becquerels per litre and is in line with international safety standards.

Approximately 125,400 cubic meters of water has been released since Japan started to discharge the ALPS-treated water in batches in August 2023. The IAEA has previously confirmed that the tritium concentrations in the first 16 batches were as well far below Japan's operational limits.

In a comprehensive report issued on 4 July 2023 before the first discharge began, the IAEA's safety review found that Japan's plan for handling the treated water was consistent with international safety standards and that the release as planned would have a negligible radiological impact to people and the environment.

Reports on sampling, independent analysis, data evaluation, as well as timelines, are available on the IAEA website.