Japan Atomic Power Co. on Tuesday began dismantling the nation's first nuclear power plant, located in Tokai, Ibaraki Prefecture.
The plant, which opened in 1966 and had an output capacity of 166,000 kilowatts, is expected to be fully dismantled by March 2018.
Total costs of the operation are estimated to hit 92.7 billion yen.
Due to functional inefficiencies, the plant halted operation in March 1998, eight years ahead of its previously scheduled closure.
On Tuesday, work began after a ceremony to pray for the safe conclusion of the dismantling project. One of the first tasks was to close valves on pipes that connect the reactor to the heat exchange unit.
For 10 years, workers will wait for the levels of radioactive substances within the reactor to decrease, after which the actual removal of the reactor and the building housing the main components of the plant will begin.
During this waiting period, work will proceed on the removal of neighboring facilities and units, such as the fuel exchange mechanism and heat exchangers.
The dismantling is expected to produce 177,300 tons of waste, of which 18,200 tons of low-radioactive waste is to be buried.
Because most of the problem waste is expected to come from the destruction of the reactor and the main building, its destination will be decided over the next 10 years, according to Japan Atomic Power officials.
Spent nuclear fuel from the plant has already been shipped to British Nuclear Fuels PLC.
Company officials said that new technology will be introduced to ensure that workers are not exposed to radiation levels that exceed government guidelines. They added that they may seek financial assistance from Tokyo Electric Power Co., which received electricity from the plant, since the projected cost of the project exceeds reserves put aside for the dismantling.