Supporting the Fukushima Daiichi Decommissioning Programme

Veolia's Integrated Delivery Partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
PVCI Boom in Naraha test facility, Japan
Graphic of MHI team and Veolia's Nuclear Solutions experts at the Veolia | Nuclear Solutions Abingdon, UK office

Since 2016, Veolia has worked in partnership with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to support clean-up activities at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. Both organisations share a common objective: advancing the Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning programme safely and effectively.

Key Facts

Partnership established in 2016

PCVI boom investigation system designed and built by Veolia

Supports fuel debris retrieval from Unit 2

Active deployment-phase support at Fukushima Daiichi

Ongoing multidisciplinary engineering engagement

“MHI and Veolia have worked in close collaboration on the design and build of the PCVI boom investigation system, with each organisation contributing its respective expertise.
As the programme transitions from testing to deployment, Veolia’s continued involvement supports deployment planning, site readiness, and operational preparation. Through this collaborative approach, both teams remain aligned on the safe and steady progress of the Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning programme.”
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Programme Director

As the programme progresses from testing into deployment at Fukushima Daiichi (1F), Veolia continues to support MHI through:

Deployment planning

Site readiness activities

On-site technical monitoring

Advisory support

From Design to Deployment: The PCVI Boom Investigation System

Veolia’s nuclear solutions business led the design and build of the Primary Containment Vessel Investigation (PCVI) boom investigation system, supporting the programme’s goal of fuel debris retrieval from Unit 2.

This transition marks an important step from system validation to live operational implementation within a highly complex nuclear environment.

Multidisciplinary teams from Veolia remain engaged at Fukushima Daiichi to support operations of the PCVI system, including:

Boom deployment

DexterTM haptic feedback robot manipulator tasks

Ongoing operational alignment with MHI teams

Advisory support

Site Readiness and Operational Preparation

As part of these preparations, in February 2026 Veolia hosted colleagues from MHI and Marubeni Utility Services (MUS) at its Nuclear Solutions headquarters in Abingdon, UK. These sessions supported site-readiness activities and ensured that specialist engineers are fully prepared to provide deployment support at the 1F site.

Multidisciplinary teams from Veolia, spanning mechanical, electrical, control and software engineering, remain engaged at Fukushima Daiichi to support operations of the PCVI system.

Graphic of two MHI team members at the UK Site Visit in Feb 2026

This collaboration demonstrates how Veolia and MHI work together through clearly defined roles and shared objectives, combining design expertise, operational support, and a common commitment to the safe and successful delivery of the Fukushima Daiichi decommissioning mission.

The safe decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi remains one of the most technically complex nuclear programmes in the world. Through sustained collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Veolia continues to contribute specialist engineering capability that supports the safe and effective progression of this mission.