Drips of liquid were observed from a valve flange on a condensate drain line from a ventilation duct which serves the Magnox fuel Reprocessing plant at Sellafield.
The drip was outdoors onto ground made up of a concrete slab and gravelled surface. The area was formally part of a Sellafield contamination controlled area but is now in an area free from contamination control. The area is, however, within the secure boundary of the facility. The condensate was sampled and confirmed to be contaminated with radioactive materials.
Precautionary access restrictions were applied to the 2 square metres area local to the contamination. Additionally, reassurance monitoring of construction workers who had used a nearby walkway has confirmed that they had not been contaminated. Monitoring also confirmed that no wider spread of contamination has occurred. Notification to the UK authorities occurred promptly as the amount was expected to exceed thresholds in Ionising Radiations Regulations. The event was initially rated INES 1 and re-rated INES 2 on 2009-05-11.
The Pacific News Bulletin (since September 1986) and its predecessor Pacific Bulletin was published for the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific (NFIP) Movement by the Pacific Concerns Resource Centre (PCRC), first based in Petersham (Australia) and later at Suva on the Fiji Islands. The NFIP movement grew out of the first regional Nuclear Free Pacific […]
On 29 June 2026, the Urenco Group issued a statement announcing that the UK Government formally requested the company to support its effort "to re-establish a nuclear fuel cycle for reactor fuel for defence purposes." The UK Government announced its intent to re-establish this program in November 2024. This announcement is part of a broader […]
The Netherlands has agreed to allow Urenco to be used for the British military nuclear program. This clears the way for uranium enriched by Urenco to be used in nuclear weapons. With his decision, Foreign Minister Berendsen (CDA Christen Democrats) is departing from the principle that civilian and military nuclear applications must remain strictly separate. […]
Behnam Raeesian is an internationally recognized visual artist and poster designer from Iran, known for bold political and cultural works. Through exhibitions, workshops, jury roles, and collaborations with cultural institutions worldwide, he has built a strong voice in contemporary political graphic design. His projects confront complex issues such as nuclear risk and technological impact, transforming […]
Everywhere you look, the nuclear industry’s hype machine is in overdrive. Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, and the UK government all tout small modular reactors as the silver bullet for climate change and energy security. Tech billionaires are hiring nuclear veterans. Wall Street is whispering about “round-the-clock power” for artificial intelligence data centers. For those old enough […]
