Leak at Indian Point, NY

9/10/07

Leak at Indian Point, NY

Leak found in pipe at Indian Point ( Photo is for purpose of illustration only ,not of actual leak / TVS Editor)
By BRIAN J. HOWARD
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: September 7, 2007)
BUCHANAN - Workers have discovered a pinhole-sized leak in a conduit used to transfer spent fuel from the reactor to the containment pool at Indian Point 2.
The leak was found Wednesday during testing for groundwater contamination from leaks of radioactive tritium and strontium 90 that were first discovered in 2005.
"It appears that there is a potential pinhole leak in the fuel transfer canal, which we believe could be a contributing source to the groundwater contamination that we've been talking about," said Jim Steets, a spokesman for Entergy Nuclear Northeast, the plant's owner.
A vacuum test like the one that turned up the leak, as well as an ultrasonic test, will be performed to confirm the size and scope of the leak, Steets said. That will take a few more days. Repairs would follow, but would not require a reactor shutdown.
Plant officials say the leak has not contributed significantly to the groundwater contamination. The origin of the leak remains unclear.
"We'll know better about what might have caused it when we complete the testing that we're doing," Steets said. "You hate to speculate."
Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman Neil Sheehan said the leak was above where external moisture was found by workers during an excavation.
The leak point is under water only when the canal is flooded for refueling, which occurs every 18 to 24 months. More testing is needed before a connection can be drawn to the groundwater contamination, Sheehan said.
"Whether this is the cause, whether this is part of the cause, we don't know that yet, and there's still more work to be done," he said.
Buchanan Mayor Dan O'Neill learned of the leak yesterday and was assured there was no threat to the health of residents or workers at the plant.
"It does not sound like it's anything major at this time ... ." O'Neill said.
Phillip Musegaas, a staff attorney with the environmental group Riverkeeper, said the leak underscored why the NRC should require more thorough testing of systems holding radioactive water.
"This is a switch from Entergy's earlier position, because in their relicensing application they have stated that they didn't believe there was an ongoing leak at Indian Point 2 at all," Musegaas said. "The fact that they found this on further inspection suggests that they may find more leaks."
Reach Brian Howard at bjhoward@lohud.com or 914-666-6177.

Related by :Phillip Musegaas
Staff Attorney/Policy Analyst
Riverkeeper, Inc.
828 South Broadway
Tarrytown, NY 10591
914-478-4501 x224

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9/10/07