U.S. company to aid cleanup of Fukushima nuclear power plant

MIDDLEBURG, Va., Aug. 8 (UPI) -- An effort to locate nuclear fuel in a damaged Japanese power complex will be assisted by Decision Sciences International Corporation.

The U.S. company said Toshiba Corporation, which is attempting to reclaim the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear complex, has tapped it to design, manufacture and deliver a muon detector and tube arrays that will fit into the power plant building to determine the location and condition of the nuclear fuel inside the plant.

Muon imaging technology uses cosmic ray muons -- high energy particles -- to determine material density and type of material scanned.

DSIC has in the past successfully deployed its Multi-Mode Passive Detection System, based on muon tomography technology, at the Freeport Container Port in the Bahamas and delivered such systems to clients in the U.S. and Britain.

"We are delighted to extend the application of our solution to assist in the recovery of the Fukushima power plant as well as support and secure a safe working environment for personnel," said DSIC President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Stanton D. Sloane.

DSIC provided no information as to when the technology will be delivered to Toshiba or the value of the contract.