Earth Equity News

Tritium Leaks Undermine Confidence in Nuclear Reactors. By Matthew L. Wald, NYTimes, February 10, 2010. "Tritium leaks like the one that threatens the future of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant are undermining confidence in other reactors around the country, three experts nominated by President Obama to join the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said February 9 at their confirmation hearing. The leaks by themselves do not appear to have had any impact on public health, one of the three, William D. Magwood IV, told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. 'The point is not that it's not hurting anyone,' he said. 'The point is it's showing you don't have your act together'... Another nominee, William Charles Ostendorff, said that one of the biggest problems facing the regulatory commission would be to balance oversight of the licensing of new reactors and of the safe operation of older, existing plants with 'piping concerns' like the leaks. The industry hopes to break ground soon on new plants soon, for the first time in 30 years, but opponents say tritium leaks show the industry is not to be trusted.

"The leaks came to light only because of a nationwide effort that the nuclear industry began in May 2006 to grapple with the issue after the discovery of leaks at two sites in Illinois and one in New York. Now industry officials say that perhaps a third of the reactors nationwide have had such leaks. Twelve sites have filed official reports since 2003, and more may be discovered soon. A spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Scott Burnell, said that nearly all of them are vulnerable... The Environmental Protection Agency sets a standard for how much tritium is allowed in drinking water. But at Vermont Yankee and other places, the tritium has not been found in drinking water but in groundwater. The releases have so far not put any plant in violation of its radiation discharge limits."