Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) will start a demonstration project as early as Thursday (22 August) to remove a small amount of radioactive fuel debris from reactor number two at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power station.

The company, which owns and operates the facility, will start the experimental removal process at Unit 2 on Thursday if inspections are completed on time, an official from the company said in a news conference on Monday (19 August).

Tepco said it aims to retrieve a few grams of fuel debris from Unit 2 in its first attempt, with plans to expand the process with large-scale removal expected in the early 2030s.

The sample will be studied for clues about the condition of the inside of the reactors and their hazardous contents, a crucial step towards decommissioning.