More on nuclear leaks

25 Percent of U.S. Nuclear Power Plants Are Leaking Radioactive Chemicals:

Would you like a little radioactive tritium with your water?

As far fetched as it sounds, the Associated Press recently reported that at least 27 of 104 nuclear reactors across the United States are leaking potentially dangerous levels of tritium into the groundwater around the plants.

The scope of the problem surfaced after the recent discovery of a leak at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant. According to the AP, new tests have shown that the levels of tritium in the wells at the Vernon, Vermont site are more than three-and-a-half times the federal safety standard.

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Vermont Yankee isn’t the first case of a U.S. nuclear power plant leaking tritium, the AP article reveals. In the 1990s, leaks from the Braidwood nuclear station in Illinois contaminated local wells, and owner Exelon Corp. had to provide a new municipal water system. The Oyster Creek nuclear plant in Ocean County, New Jersey, was found to be leaking tritium just last year — “just days after Exelon won NRC approval for a 20-year license extension there,” the AP reports. And there have been more.

The source of the leaks can be any number of things, including corroded underground pipes, and leaks in the spent fuel storage pools.

The AP story mentioned above is Leaks put spotlight on aging nuclear plants, also recommended.

The one question I have about this is: In the entire realm of energy issues can you imagine a steeper and more slippery slope than, “yeah, we’re leaking radioactive stuff and we’re not sure exactly where it’s coming from, and there’s debate over whether it’s a real danger, but let’s keep re-licensing old nuclear power plants”?