The pipeline broke between the buildings of the Minnesota Nuclear Power Plant.
One and a half million liters of radioactive water leaked from a nuclear power plant in Minnesota. The leak was discovered in November, but only now has information about the incident been revealed.
According to the BBC The utility company that operates the plant, Xcel Energy, says the leak is “fully contained and there is no evidence of it occurring outside the facility.” State officials have also confirmed that there is no direct risk to public health.
The spilled water contains tritium, which is a by-product of nuclear power plant operation. Tritium, a naturally occurring radioactive isotope of hydrogen, emits a weak form of beta radiation that, according to the Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, does not travel long distances in air and cannot penetrate human skin.
According to the NRC, tritium spills do occur at nuclear power plants, but they are usually contained on site and rarely affect public health or safety.
Xcel first detected water leakage from a pipe between two buildings at the Monticello plant on November 21. The plant is located 56 kilometers from the most populous city of Minneapolis in the state.
The company said it notified federal and state authorities the day after the leak was discovered.
State officials explained why they waited months to report the leak by saying they wanted to gather more information about the case. They were waiting to see if the water would remain on Xcel property and not pose an immediate public health risk. The Minnesota Department of Health said the leak did not reach the Mississippi River.
