Radioactive groundwater found at North Anna

Dominion Virginia Power has notified federal authorities about the discovery of low levels of radioactive groundwater at the utility's North Anna nuclear power station in Louisa County. A recent groundwater monitoring sample point at the plant recorded a level of 16,500 picoCuries of tritium per liter, according to a report that Dominion filed Friday with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Normal tritrium levels at the particular sample point are 4,000 picoCuries per liter or less. Times-Dispatch.

Beyond Nuclear's take: Levels of 4000 picocuries per liter in water are nowhere near normal since tritium is created and occurs naturally in surface waters at 10 to 30 picoCuries per liter. And although the Environmental Protection Agency standard for tritium concentration is 20,000 picocuries, this level is not safe since tritium crosses the placental barrier in pregnant women. This exposes the fetus, whose enhanced sensitivity to radiation damage is well-known. Studies show tritium exposure is associated with a host of health problems including cancer. 

Oyster Creek's solution to tritium leak: Water it down

Oyster Creek will soon begin pumping 25 to 50 gallons per minute from the Cape May and Cohansey aquifers to remove water contaminated with the radioactive material tritium. The spill at Oyster Creek - the nation's oldest, continuously operating nuclear plant - measured as high as 6 million picocuries in some monitoring wells, about 300 times the level the federal Environmental Protection Agency considers unsafe for drinking water. Tritium occurs naturally at 10 picocuries per liter. Tritium leaks have been identified in 33 of the nation's 104 nuclear power plants and escaped into the groundwater at 27 of them, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the federal agency in charge of power plants. Beyond Nuclear quoted. Press of Atlantic City.

Tritium detected in deep drinking water aquifer at Vermont Yankee

The Brattleboro Reformer reports that radioactive tritium contamination has been detected at a depth of 200 to 220 feet below ground in an aquifer that was used up until Feb. 2010 for drinking water. The well was no longer used for drinking water once Vermont Yankee's tritium leaks to groundwater were discovered. While both Entergy Nuclear and NRC spokespeople denied this latest finding has any implications for human health or safety, Arnie Gundersen of Fairewinds Associates warns that Vermont Yankee must continue to extract tritium contaminated groundwater, lest tritium or even other radioactive isotopes such as Cesium-137 and Strontium-90 leak downward into the deep aquifers, threatening neighboring drinking water supplies.

Nuclear facility cleanup to be finished up by 2017

In a major victory for community activists worried about health risks linked to a contaminated former nuclear research facility overlooking the west San Fernando Valley, state and federal authorities on Friday proposed the settlement. The plan would remove soil contaminated with carcinogenic dioxins, heavy metals and radioactive materials. Local activists say the site has been a health risk since a partial meltdown in 1959. Los Angeles Times.

Nominate scientists for NAS nuclear cancer risks panel

The National Academy of Sciences Nuclear & Radiation Studies Board announced that they are accepting nominations for panelists to participate in a study assessing cancer risks from nuclear facilities. Nominations will be accepted through September 30, 2010, and can be submitted by email (crs@nas.edu), phone (202-334-3066), or fax (202-334-2077). Please participate in this nominating process by suggesting independent scientists. The NAS needs to know we are watching and participating. Beyond Nuclear will post updates as appropriate.

The study will be conducted in two phases. Phase one, which started on September 1, 2010, will determine how best to conduct an epidemiological study on the cancer risks from Nuclear Regulator Commission (NRC) licensed facilities in the United States and will continue for 15 months.