The turbine systems at Ringhals unit 1 were opened three days after the turbine was shut down for refurbishment. When the systems were exposed to air, iodine was released from the surfaces of the primary (steam) system. The release of iodine was expected, but the release rate was higher than expected. The iodine was released to the air in the turbine hall where approximately 70 persons were working without respiratory protective devices (face masks). Face masks were not issued as the continuous air monitor had not reached the alarm level 1 DAC (Derived Air Concentration). The incident was discovered when persons were stopped in the exit monitors due to elevated, but still low levels of contamination. The personnel will use face masks a few days to avoid unnecessary problems with alarms at exit monitors. All persons involved with work on the turbine systems will be measured in a whole body counter within one week. All persons who were exposed to elevated but still low levels of iodine in the air were whole body monitored directly after the incident. Only three persons were above the Swedish formal report level 0.5% of the Annual limit of Intake (ALI). The highest intake was 0.59% of ALI which is equivalent to 0.09 mSv effective dose equivalent.
A vast subsea nuclear graveyard planned to hold Britain’s burgeoning piles of radioactive waste is set to become the biggest, longest-lasting and most expensive infrastructure project ever undertaken in the UK. The project [UK's nuclear waste dump] is now predicted to take more than 150yrs to complete with lifetime costs of £66bn in today’s money...The […]
Last year, the Dutch Province of Limburg started an alliance in which, besides the local government, research institutes, small nuclear reactor (SMR) developers, utilities, industrial customers and funders cooperated. With this "Limburg SMR alliance" Limburg tried to lead the way towards an SMR in Limburg. The preferred site for a first SMR would be Chemelot, […]
From the IPFM: During a visit to the Civaux nuclear power plant on 18 March 2024, France's Minister of the Armed Forces unveiled a plan to use the plant to produce tritium for the French nuclear weapons program. Civaux is a civilian power plant that belongs to and is operated by Electricité de France. According […]
An analysis by the Norwegian NGO Bellona of transborder trade operations with the customs code 840130 (irradiated fuel assemblies or fuel elements) show a more than twofold increase of import to EU countries of fresh nuclear fuel in cash terms – from 280 million Euros in 2022 to 686 million Euros in 2023. In physical […]
The French government has said it is "seriously" studying the option of building a plant to convert and enrich reprocessed uranium to cut its reliance on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. The only plant in the world that currently converts reprocessed uranium for use in nuclear power plants is in Russia. "The option of […]