News

Leaks and hole found in separate reactors

> Leaks found in 2 pipes at NJ nuclear plant LACEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (The
> Associated Press) - Apr 30
>
> Officials say there's no danger to the public even though
> radioactive tritium has contaminated four monitoring wells at the
> nation's oldest nuclear power plant.
>
> The Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in southern New Jersey has
> been shut down since Saturday because of a failed transformer.
>
> Tritium is a naturally occurring, radioactive form of hydrogen
> that is produced when cosmic rays collide with air molecules.
>
> One well had a tritium reading of about 6 million picocuries per
> liter. The federal limit for tritium in drinking water is 20,000
> picocuries per liter. A picocurie is a measure of radioactivity.
>
> A plant spokesman says it was found leaking from holes in two
> pipes.
> The pipes have been repaired and workers will conduct more
> inspections.
>
> The Nuclear Regulatory Commission earlier this month renewed
> Oyster Creek's license for another 20 years.
>
>
> Paper clip-size hole fixed in western Pa. reactor SHIPPINGPORT, Pa.
> (The Associated Press) - Apr 30
>
> FirstEnergy Corp. says a paper clip-sized hole in the steel
> containment liner of a nuclear reactor near Pittsburgh was likely
> caused by a board embedded in concrete underneath.
>
> Spokesman Todd Schneider says the 2-by-4 has apparently been
> there since the reactor at its Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station
> opened in 1976.
> The wood absorbed moisture and caused the steel liner it touched to
> corrode.
>
> Schneider says nobody knows how the board got there. The liner is
> a vapor barrier in case of an accident.
>
> Repairs must meet Nuclear Regulatory Commission standards but
> should not delay the restart of the reactor.
>
> The hole was discovered April 23 while the reactor was down for
> refueling and maintenance. The reactor is about 30 miles northwest of
> Pittsburgh.