The operation, crucial for the plant's decommissioning, aims to extract a sample of the estimated 880 tons of hazardous material remaining inside the facility, which experienced a meltdown after a devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.
"It will take several days for us to prepare for a resumption... and we will be able to resume next week if all goes well as scheduled," Tepco said.
The removal process, considered one of the most challenging aspects of the decades-long decontamination project, requires specially developed robots capable of withstanding extreme radiation levels. In February, Tepco deployed two mini-drones and a snake-like robot to assess conditions inside the damaged reactors.
This initiative follows Tepco's controversial decision last year to release treated wastewater from the plant into the Pacific Ocean, a move that sparked international debate over its environmental impact.
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