Images captured by the camera and released late Friday show rubble spread over the bottom of the unit, including part of a fuel container and rock-like fragments that could contain melted nuclear fuel. Locating fuel debris is a key part of the plant's decommissioning process, which is expected to take decades. However it has recently succeeded in using cameras to visually monitor inside the units, last year releasing similar pictures of suspected fuel debris at the No. "The success in taking the latest pictures was another milestone for our decommissioning process," the spokesman told AFP, adding that the operator plans to begin removing the debris in 2021. The government has said that it expects total costs for decommissioning, decontamination and compensation to reach 21.5 trillion yen ($194 billion).

Source: The Nation Bangkok January 20, 2018 07:07 UTC