Updates
June 21, 2014: the link in the original post it broken; the source has removed the story. I think it refers to what turned out to be a chlorine leak and not a radiation leak but I could be wrong. Be that as it may: wouldn't it be nice when 2,000 gallons of radioactive water leaks into the Mississippi north of Minneapolis, the authorities simply blow it off and say it's no concern, and that's the end of the story. Microfiche of the Spokane Daily, July 30, 1981.
Original Post
There is a 4,000-gallon spill of radiation-contaminated water at a Minnesota nuclear plant and I don't see it at Drudge Report, LA Times, NY Times, or even the Dickinson Press.
But when six ducks flew into a waste pit in the oil patch last spring, wow, you could find that story everywhere.
The nuclear leak story, in an obscure newspaper, at least obscure to me, was sent to me by Don yesterday.
Not only that, but this leak has been going on since November, 2011, last year. I think it's been going on longer than the the 2010 Gulf oil spill. And this is the first I've heard of it.
On top of that, it appears to have been a succession of failures. First, something happened that shouldn't have, and then the automatic thing-a-ma-jig that was supposed to prevent further spill failed to operate.
Wow.
Nearly 4,000 gallons of water containing “small amounts” of tritium and “trace amounts” of other chemicals have been released by Prairie Island nuclear plant since November, plant spokeswoman Mary Sandok said Wednesday."The most recent leak." Wow, how many leaks have there been since this all started? Why aren't we seeing photographs of this stricken nuclear plant in Minnesota. It should be noted that Minnesota refuses to take electricity generated by coal in neighboring state of North Dakota. I guess Minnesota still feels nuclear is cleaner and safer. Actually, it now looks more like Minnesota was protecting its home-grown nuclear industry.
The most recent leak, occurring when 27 gallons of water that had condensed from heating system steam overflowed a holding tank, happened Feb. 3.
A pump failed to regulate levels within the tank, Sandok said, and the water overflowed out a vent pipe and onto the ground. The heating system has been shut down while the cause of the pump failure is investigated and corrected.
I guess there is one difference between this nuclear leak in Minnesota and the migratory bird disaster in the oil patch last spring. There were several deaths associated with the oil patch fly-in. I believe six ducks died.
The nuclear-leak spokesman says, "hey, there's nothing to worry about. The leak is small. It happens all the time."
Well, maybe they didn't say exactly that. The Simpsons will be on tonight in syndication.
I read they just approved the building of a reactor in Georgia.
ReplyDeleteAfter Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima I figured someone would have learned a lesson.
At least with an oil spill the land becomes useful again!
Also, there goes old "money-bags" promising 8.3 billion of our borrowed future for this. Oh! I forget, what's a few billion here and there when you're talking trillions.
Yes, and as noted elsewhere: they kill the Keystone but approve a nuclear reactor. (Also, don't forget that the San Onufre reactor in California is partially shut down due to a leak.)
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