The Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc., having been selected by the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE, METI, Japan), is now executing the tasks of the Project Management Office for the “Project of Decommissioning and Contaminated Water Management”. In this project, based on the “Grant Policy for Subsidy for the Project of Decommissioning and Contaminated Water Management”, we are assisting activities in support of the development of technologies that will be useful in decommissioning and contaminated water management. Through this, we aim to improve the level of science and technology and to advance decommissioning and contaminated water management smoothly in Japan.

At this time we are proceeding with the RFP (Request for Proposal) for entities to receive subsidies and implement the “Verification of technologies for contaminated water management (Demonstration Project for Verification Tests of Tritium Separation Technologies)” as the fifth RFP. If you are interested in responding to this RFP, please take into consideration the information provided in this document as well as the detailed information provided in the separate document “Guidelines for applying to the “Verification of technologies for contaminated water management project” in the FY2013 Supplementary Budget”.

Regarding the Request for Proposal for entities to implement with subsidies the “Verification of technologies for contaminated water management (Demonstration Project for Verification Tests of Tritium Separation Technologies)” project in the FY2013 Supplementary Budget

1. Purpose of this project

With regard to countermeasures for contaminated water in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Company, there exist various challenges. To consider responses to them, METI/ANRE entrusted management procedures to the International Research Institute for Nuclear Decommissioning (IRID), and from September 25th to October 23rd 2013, conducted the Request for Information (RFI) in order to gather broad information from domestic and overseas wisdom on six RFI topics.

In the topic of “treatment of contaminated water (tritium separation technology, long-term safe storage of tritium, etc.)”, 182 responses were offered to the RFI. With regard to tritium separation technologies, the responses include information on water distillation method, electrolytic method, combined electrolysis catalytic exchange method, girdler-sulfide method, etc., which have experiences of the nuclear field. In addition to this, with regard to other separation technologies, the information on freeze concentration, separation using nanotechnology, hydrates, absorbents, etc. was offered. On these technologies, comments were offered from the Expert Review Panel set up by IRID.

In response to these comments, the Committee on Countermeasures for Contaminated Water Treatment released “Preventative and Multilayered Measures for Contaminated Water Treatment at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station of Tokyo Electric Power Company – Through completeness of comprehensive risk management -” (Summary, Text [Japanese text only]) on December 10th, 2013. In the report, it is stated that “Since technologies that have a quick effect in separating tritium have not been found after collecting technical proposals from both inside and outside of Japan, it will be necessary in the future to assess measures proposed in response to our requests for information”.

Furthermore, following advice to “every alternatives should be verified” given by an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) expert team which visited Japan at the end of November 2013, under the Committee a task force was set up under the Committee in order to comprehensively evaluate not only separation technologies, but also risks, environmental impacts, cost-benefit, etc. of long-term storage or release of tritium. The Task Force for Tritiated Water is clarifying and analyzing previous scientific knowledge, etc. with consideration from the viewpoint of risk assessment, and the Task Force is also considering various options.

“Summary of previous discussions” of the Task Force for Tritiated Water

The purpose of this project is to gather the latest information on tritium separation technology on the basis of the above-mentioned previous consideration. The results of this project will be utilized as needed for consideration of the task force; therefore reports of progress of the project, results of tentative calculation or data at the time, etc. will be required around four times per year. The data, etc. might be released to the task force as needed. In this case, the information will be released after coordination with the implementing entity and receipt of its assent.

The purpose of this project is (i) to verify separation performance of tritium separation technology, and (ii) to assess construction costs and operating costs needed for installing the equipment in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station and for treating water remaining after treatment through the multi-nuclide removal equipment. However, the decision whether or not to conduct tritium separation treatment has not yet been made.

RFP topics

Demonstration Project for Verification Tests of Tritium Separation Technologies (Exhibit1)

With regard to contaminated water arising in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, efforts to remove 62 kinds of nuclides are ongoing, but it is not possible to remove tritium. In this situation, entities to implement verification tests of tritium separation technologies are being solicited. More precisely, in order to validate the separation technology, it is required to construct and use equipment, the scale of which is left to the implementing entity’ s discretion, and to conduct verification tests that will enable evaluation of separation performance of the tritiated water (The concentration: from 6.3*10⁵Bq/L to 4.2*10⁶Bq/L (It varies according to the sampling date.)) arising in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, construction costs, and operating costs.

3. Duration of the project

From the date of the grant decision to March 31st, 2016

Please note that proposals are preferable which observe this duration and for which the necessary project term is shorter than other proposals.

4. Procedure for application

(1) Term of receipt of tenders

Commencement: Thursday, May 15th, 2014
Time-limit: Thursday, July 17th, 2014 (by noon, Japan time).
No application will be accepted after the deadline.

(2) Information session

Time and date: In late May, an information session for domestic and overseas participants is scheduled to be held (The session will be held in Japan, and planned to be broadcast via webcast.). Detailed information is here.

(3) Documentation

Please refer to the detailed information given in the Guidelines.

5. Regarding Evaluation and Selection, Granting of Subsidy, Allocation of Expenses, etc.

Please refer to the detailed information given in the Guidelines.