TEPCO starts ventilating reactor to lower radiation level

Tokyo Electric Power Co. began operating a ventilation equipment at the No. 2 reactor building of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to reduce radiation levels inside the unit.

After airborne radioactive materials are fully removed after running the equipment for three days, TEPCO plans to open the doors of the reactor building and begin work inside the unit.

Highly radioactive materials and high humidity inside the building have prevented workers from entering the site to check measuring gauges and conduct piping work, hampering efforts by the utility to eventually bring the reactor to a stable cold shutdown.

The ventilation equipment has filters to absorb radioactive materials.