On 3 July, in an open container at the scrapyard a radioactive source was found. After finding the source, the area around the container was roped off and the source was covered by appropriate shielding material. The next day the source was recovered and safely stored. The source was then examined in a radiological facility. The source turned out to be a 16+/- 1 megabecquerel strontium-90 source. It is a cylindrical type source with a diameter of 10 mm and a height of 8 mm. At the surface of the source there was found the inscription "E946". The beta dose rate at 50 cm was about 350 micro-sievert per hour. An investigation to trace the origin of the source was not successful. Rating Justification: The rating of this incident, the discovery of a sealed radioactive source, according to part II, III and IV of the manual (INES User's Manual, 2001 edition) was not straightforward. However, similar to the examples of Part V (paragraph V-1.2 and V-3.2), and according to table V of paragraph IV-3.2.2.3. (Maximum potential consequences, INES level 3,4 and number of remaining safety layers: 0) this incident is rated level 2 because of the high dose rate at short distance: 1 sievert per hour at 1 centimeter. Within a few hours this source could cause burninjury. Such could happen if someone would put the source in this pocket.
Big batteries and EVs to the rescue again as faults with new nuclear plant cause chaos on Nordic grids The Finnish nuclear power plant Olkiluoto was finally connected to the grid last year, at an estimated cost of €11 billion compared to the original budget of €3 billion. That cost blowout forced its developer, the […]
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 […]