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EDF Energy tritium alert over Dungeness B groundwater | EDF Energy tritium alert over Dungeness B groundwater |
(35 minutes later) | |
Groundwater at a nuclear power station has been found to contain a radioactive substance above agreed levels. | Groundwater at a nuclear power station has been found to contain a radioactive substance above agreed levels. |
EDF Energy, which owns and operates Dungeness B in Kent, said the tritium was found during routine sampling. | EDF Energy, which owns and operates Dungeness B in Kent, said the tritium was found during routine sampling. |
The energy firm said there was no risk to the public or its workers from the leak, which had been contained. | |
The Environment Agency said it and the Office for Nuclear Regulation had been informed. EDF is investigating the source of the tritium. | |
EDF said the tritium had been identified and isolated to one small area and the environmental impact was negligible. | EDF said the tritium had been identified and isolated to one small area and the environmental impact was negligible. |
"Boreholes on the station boundary have been checked and tritium levels have been confirmed to be at background levels - this means no more than is naturally occurring," a statement from the energy firm said. | "Boreholes on the station boundary have been checked and tritium levels have been confirmed to be at background levels - this means no more than is naturally occurring," a statement from the energy firm said. |
It said the local water company had confirmed the local water system was unaffected. | It said the local water company had confirmed the local water system was unaffected. |
EDF said it was still rectifying the problem, but the tritium levels had already been reduced by more than half. | |
The company said it operated within a highly-regulated industry that had an open and transparent reporting structure, and it notified regulators as soon as the tritium was found. | |
The Environment Agency said EDF found the elevated levels of tritium in September and December. | The Environment Agency said EDF found the elevated levels of tritium in September and December. |
The agency said tritium was a substance produced by nuclear reactors and also found naturally in the environment, and Dungeness B discharged tritium into the environment under an Environment Agency permit. | The agency said tritium was a substance produced by nuclear reactors and also found naturally in the environment, and Dungeness B discharged tritium into the environment under an Environment Agency permit. |
The agency confirmed the tritium found at Dungeness B was in three on-site boreholes that were all close to each other, but levels elsewhere at Dungeness were normal. | The agency confirmed the tritium found at Dungeness B was in three on-site boreholes that were all close to each other, but levels elsewhere at Dungeness were normal. |
It said Dungeness B was a significant distance from any boreholes used for drinking water abstraction, and the local water authority had been informed as a precaution. | It said Dungeness B was a significant distance from any boreholes used for drinking water abstraction, and the local water authority had been informed as a precaution. |
Dungeness B is due to stop generating power by 2018. | Dungeness B is due to stop generating power by 2018. |
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