- Sam Cabral
- BBC – Washington
The radioactive leak came from a pipe between two buildings at the Monticello Nuclear Power Plant in Minnesota
Officials are continuing the process of removing a leak of 400,000 gallons (1.5 million liters) of radioactive water from a nuclear power plant in the US state of Minnesota.
The company, “Excel Energy”, which operates the nuclear power plant, said that the leak was fully contained at the plant site, and was not detected outside its scope.
Minnesota officials said there was no immediate public health risk from the spill.
The leak was first detected last November, but state officials did not announce it until yesterday, Thursday.
The water contains tritium, which is produced by-product during the operation of the nuclear plant.
Tritium is a naturally occurring radioactive isotope of hydrogen, and it emits a weak type of beta radiation that cannot travel far through the air, nor can it penetrate human skin, according to the Federal Nuclear Control Commission.
Nuclear plants occasionally leak tritium, but leaks are usually contained on site and rarely affect public health or public safety, according to the Federal Nuclear Control Commission.
The leak was first discovered by Excel Energy on November 21. It came from a pipe between two buildings of the Monticello Nuclear Power Plant.
The station is located 56 km from the state’s most populous city, Minneapolis, along the Mississippi River.
Excel Energy said it notified the state government as well as the Federal Nuclear Control Commission the day after the spill occurred.
The company added in a statement on Thursday: “Excel Energy took a quick step in terms of containing the leak at the plant site, which did not cause health or other safety risks in the community or the surrounding environment.”
Minnesota officials said they waited to find out more information before announcing the leak, but stressed that the radioactive water was contained at the company’s site and did not pose an immediate public health risk.
The Minnesota Department of Health said the spill did not reach the Mississippi River.
To date, a quarter of the leaked tritium has been recovered. And the company, “Excel Energy,” said it may build tanks above ground in order to store radioactive water.
The company also said it was looking into how to treat, reuse or dispose of tritium and radioactive water.
A small leak occurred at the Monticello Nuclear Power Plant in 2009.
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