Common Pool & Cask Storage

Common Pool Total Space: 6840 assemblies
Common Pool Current Inventory: 6375 assemblies
Cask Storage: 408 assemblies
Cask Sizes: 52 and 37 assembly sized casks used

The common or shared pool and current cask storage are part of TEPCO’s pre-disaster fuel management plan. The common pool holds much of the overflow spent fuel inventory from units 1-6 at Fukushima Daiichi. As part of TEPCO’s roadmap they intend to make changes to the common pool so damaged fuel may be inspected and stored separately from intact fuel assemblies. This will include adding a bulkhead wall to separate the two.

The cask storage building seen to the right. holds a small number of casks.

The cask storage building holds a small number of casks and resides near the docks. Casks are intended to then be shipped out to France or the UK for reprocessing rather than for long term storage. With the disaster at the plant and Japan’s fuel reprocessing plan now up in the air, no fuel is being shipped out of Japan.

An interim fuel storage center at Rokkasho has been in the works but was dependent on the completion of a fuel reprocessing facility there. Local agreements tied the two together. Considerable local backlash resulted when the central government suggested ending the reprocessing factory but keeping the fuel storage in Rokkasho. Locals demanded all the fuel casks be sent back to their original location but that has not happened to date.

TEPCO plans to install on site cask storage at the plant. This will take considerable land, resources and ongoing management.