Japan has suspended the removal of nuclear fuel from the Fukushima nuclear power plant

The Japanese power company Tokyo Electric Power Co. suspended the operation to remove molten radioactive fuel from the bottom of one of the damaged reactors at the Fukushima nuclear power plant due to a technical malfunction, writes Bloomberg.

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The company began a demonstration process of removing fuel at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant last week, but was forced to suspend the procedure on Tuesday after two cameras on the extraction device stopped working, the Nikkei reported, citing a company statement.

The technical problem is the latest complication in the decades-long process of removing the molten fuel and decommissioning the plant. and will cost 23 trillion yen ($164 billion). The process was originally scheduled to begin last month, but was delayed due to a procedural error.

To retrieve the radioactive material, a robotic fishing rod-like arm with a claw-shaped metal gripper that is lowered to collect small amounts has been developed debris.