Japan's troubled nuke plant keeps April shutdown timetable: TEPCO

Sakae Muto (R), Vice President of Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc. (TEPCO) attends a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, May 17, 2011. TEPCO unveiled new plans to contain the nuclear crisis on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Kenichiro Seki)

The operator of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant announced Tuesday it will stick to the initial target of stabilizing the facility in about six to nine months.

Tokyo Electric Power Co.(TEPCO) said it will endeavor to prevent tainted groundwater from spreading. The company is expected to bring Nos. 1-3 reactors to stable cooling condition in mid-July, according to Kyodo News report.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan vowed Tuesday to handle the nuke crisis in accordance with TEPCO's timetable.

The company announced one month ago that restoring stable cooling to the reactors and spent fuel pools will take about three months. Then, the utility will need an additional three to six months to control radioactive emissions and curb radiation substantially.

The facility has been leaking radioactive substances into environment since it was crippled by the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March.

Source: Xinhua

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