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Radioactive leak from Dounreay nuclear plant

Leak found at former nuclear plant, Google News, (UKPA) 9 Oct 11, Scotland’s environment secretary has called for a full investigation after a radioactive leak was found at the former Dounreay power station. The leak was discovered during a routine operation of the plant which is destroying the liquid metal used as the coolant in the Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR).

Monitoring systems detected drips of caustic liquor from pipework in a shielded cell. Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL) said the plant was immediately shut down and the leak isolated and stopped. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) said no material had been released into the environment and that the leak was “minor”….

Dounreay’s nuclear reactor was shut down in 1994 and work to decommission the site in Caithness has been under way since then. It was the only plant in Britain to use liquid metal instead of gas or water in the cooling circuits…. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gbScqRflnDY2MmCLODQSX6TveHNA?docId=N0834141318086993943A

October 10, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, UK | Leave a comment

Generator failures hit 4 U.S. nuclear plants

4 generator failures hit US nuclear plants, Kake County News Sun, By RAY HENRY Associated Press October 9, 2011 ATLANTA — Four generators that power emergency systems at nuclear plants have failed when needed since April, an unusual cluster that has attracted the attention of federal inspectors and could prompt the industry to re-examine its maintenance plans.

None of these failures has threatened the public. But the diesel generators serve the crucial function of supplying electricity to cooling systems that prevent a nuclear plant’s hot, radioactive fuel from overheating, melting and potentially releasing radiation into the environment. Continue reading →

October 10, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, USA | Leave a comment

Radiation mishap at Belgian nuclear waste facility

UN agency reports Belgian nuclear mishap, 3 people contaminated ,Washington Post, By Associated Press, October 5 VIENNA — The U.N. nuclear agency says three people were exposed to radiation and had to undergo decontamination after a mishap at a Belgian waste facility.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says no radioactivity has been released into the environment through the incident at the Belgoprocess nuclear waste processing facility in Dessel, Belgium…… http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/un-agency-reports-belgian-nuclear-mishap-3-people-contaminated/2011/10/05/gIQA3yAYNL_story.html

October 6, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, incidents | Leave a comment

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