Tritium Level Far Below Japan’s Operational Limit in 15th Batch of ALPS-Treated Water, IAEA Confirms

Independent sampling and analysis conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that the tritium concentration in the 15th 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), is far below Japan's operational limit.

As part of its ongoing safety review, the IAEA collected and analyzed samples onsite at FDNPS of the diluted water that was being prepared for discharge as part of this latest batch. The results confirmed that the tritium concentration is far below the operational limit of 1,500 becquerels per litre and is in line with international safety standards.

Japan started to discharge the ALPS-treated water in August 2023 and will release it in a series of batches over the next decades. The treated water is diluted with seawater prior to discharge. Approximately 109,000 cubic meters of water has been released in the first 14 batches. The IAEA has confirmed that the tritium concentrations in this 15th batch were far below the international safety standards and operational limits.

In a comprehensive report issued on 4 July 2023 before the 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.