The operator of the nuclear accident in Fukushima (north-eastern Japan) said Sunday it would take about three months to begin to reduce the radioactivity and between six and nine months to cool the reactors.
"We estimate it will take approximately three months to ensure that the radiation level begins to drop," said Tsunehisa Katsumata, president of the board of directors of the company Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO).
"Having completed this first step, it will take three to six months before we can reduce radiation leaks at a very low level," he said at a news conference.
The company says this second stage will aim to achieve "cold shutdown" reactor (cold shutdown), thus allowing the intervention of technicians.
Located 250 km from Tokyo, Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (No. 1) was severely damaged by the magnitude 9 earthquake and the giant tsunami that devastated the north-eastern Japan on March 11.
TEPCO and the Japanese authorities have been trying to prevent this incident from escalating nuclear and cause massive radiation leaks.
Mr. Katsumata said the company hoped to "cool the reactors and storage pools of spent fuel so complete and stable."
The cessation of cooling circuits and backup generators is at the origin of the series of incidents that occurred on the site. The staff had to inject huge amounts of water to control the temperature of the fuel.
TEPCO said it would "give priority to prevent hydrogen explosion in Units 1, 2 and 3."The workers will inject nitrogen into the reactor to maintain the lower the ratio between hydrogen and oxygen," the company said in a statement.
A few days after the disaster of March 11, explosions occurred at Units 1 and 3, caused by an accumulation of hydrogen in the building housing the facility.
TEPCO will also strive for not releasing highly radioactive water.
"On the reactor 2, we begin to clean up highly radioactive water in June," said Mr.Katsumata.
The injection and dumping bulk water since March 11 has resulted in highly radioactive water leak in the engine rooms and in trenches adjacent to the facilities, some of which sank in the sea
