Xcel Energy Monticello Nuclear plant leak: Over 400,000 gallons of radioactive water seeps into the ground in Minnesota

Over 400,000 gallons of water containing radioactive water and chemicals leaked into the ground at the Xcel Energy Monticello Nuclear plant, the Minnesota Department of Health said.

The agency added that the leak hasn’t left the facility or contaminated drinking water sources. The company said there’s no danger to the public. The regulators are monitoring the cleanup of 400,000 gallons of radioactive water.

“Xcel Energy took swift action to contain the leak to the plant site, which poses no health and safety risk to the local community or the environment,” the utility said in a statement.

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The leak has been made public on Thursday, while Xcel had reported the leak of water containing tritium to state and federal authorities in November 2022. State officials said they wanted to get more information before going public with it.

The 1971 nuclear-generating plant had not yet identified the source of the leak and its location, said Michael Rafferty, spokesman Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Tritium spills are common at nuclear plants, but it has been determined that they’ve either remained limited to the plant property or involved such low offsite levels that they didn’t affect public health or safety. Xcel reported a small tritium leak at Monticello in 2009.

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The company said it notified the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the state on November 22, 2022, the day followed by it confirming the leak. 

The Monticello plant is about 35 miles or 55 kilometers northwest of Minneapolis, upstream from the city on the Mississippi River. 

Xcel Energy is looking to build above-ground storage tanks to store the contaminated water it recovers. It is considering processes for the treatment, reuse, or final disposal of the collected tritium and water. State regulators will also review the options the company finalizes, the MPCA said.

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Japan is planning to release a massive amount of treated radioactive wastewater into the sea from the triple reactor meltdowns 12 years ago at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The water contains tritium and other radioactive contaminants.