Juan Carlos Lentijo, leader of the 12-member team, said Monday that it will assess and analyze melted reactors, radiation levels and waste management at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency team will inspect the plant and hold talks with operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. and government officials during its weeklong visit, then compile an independent assessment and give advice.
The plant, ravaged by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, runs on makeshift equipment and has suffered blackouts, leakage of highly radioactive water from underground tanks and other glitches in recent weeks, triggering safety concerns. Its decommissioning is expected to take 40 years.