Press Release
February 1, 2010
Vermont Yankee engineers working to identify the source of tritium in the plant’s groundwater received useful information today that will help focus the investigation on possible sources.
At this point three new monitoring wells have been installed to complement the three drilled in 2007 and two of the three new wells show tritium. Confirmed analysis from the new wells show tritium concentration is at 70,500 picocuries per liter in the nearest new well about 75 feet to the south of the well where tritium was first noted several weeks ago. At a new well about 100 feet further south, the tritium is at a much lower concentration of 1,840 picocuries per liter. Two other monitoring wells to the north, and one to the south, show no elevated levels. The purpose of the monitoring wells is to characterize the tritium concentrations in the ground water to aid in the investigation, so we’re on the right track.
Engineers are planning six more wells around the plant buildings to gather further data on the location of the highest tritium concentration and to focus the investigation on the possible source. While our multi-disciplined technical team continues to investigate the source of the tritium, it is important to note that there has been no elevated tritium level found in any drinking water well samples or in Connecticut River water. The existence of tritium in such low levels does not present a risk to public health or safety whatsoever.
For more details on the tritium investigation, the Vermont Department of Health has a thorough status report on the investigation at this web link: http://healthvermont.gov/enviro/rad/yankee/tritium.aspx
Also helpful is the Nuclear Regulatory Commission web page on tritium monitoring: http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/grndwtr-contam-tritium.html
- Rob Williams
Entergy Vermont Yankee
Rwill23@entergy.com
