Radioactive Waste Still Leaking From Yankee Pipe

February 17, 2009

(The Associated Press) - Engineers at the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant are still
trying to stop a pipe from leaking slightly radioactive water.Vermont Yankee spokesman Rob Williams says there have been
several attempts to fix the gasket in the 4-inch pipe in the reactor's
clean- out system, but all have failed.
The company announced last month that the leak had been
discovered. At one point, it leaked about 3,600 gallons of water a
day. The water isn't released into the environment.
Williams says engineers will attempt this week to reinstall a
sealant.
Neil Sheehan of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission says the pipe
now leaks about one-tenth of a gallon a minute.
Sheehan says one option would be to shut down the plant and
install a new valve.