Tepco to build wall off fukushima plant

The operator of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant plans to build an iron wall on the ocean side of the plant to prevent radioactive water from leaking into the sea. Tokyo Electric Power Company said more than 110,000 tons of highly radioactive water remains in the basements of reactor buildings at the plant. There is growing concern that the water may eventually pass via underground water into the ocean. The utility will use thousands of iron pipes to create an 800-meter-long wall surrounding the water intakes of 4 reactor facilities, NHK Japan's website reported. Each pipe, 22-meters long and one meter wide, will be installed deep below the sea bed to stop the flow of groundwater. The firm said it will also prepare for a rise in underground water levels around the plant after the wall is built. It said it will closely monitor the level of groundwater and consider pumping it away to prevent overflow. Construction will begin as early as the end of this year and be completed in about two years. Prevention of sea-water contamination is one of pillars in the company's roadmap to contain the nuclear accident. (QNA)