Tokyo Electric Power Co. will likely fall short of fulfilling its pledge to process all highly radioactive water stored at the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant by the end of March.

Another key TEPCO deadline in March is also on shaky ground because of technical failures and other issues at the site.

Contaminated water has been a persistent problem since the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011, triggered the triple meltdown at the plant. Every day, tons of groundwater becomes highly radioactive after seeping into the basements of the reactor buildings where melted nuclear fuel remains.

When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Fukushima site in September 2013, TEPCO promised to process all of the tainted water by the end of March this year to eliminate the possibility of radioactive water leaking into the surrounding sea.

On Jan. 15, 280,000 tons of radioactive water remained in storage tanks on the plant’s premises.

[link to ajw.asahi.com]