2 nuke plant events - Netherland, Conn. and oil spill sabotage update, Italy

[ensho]

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index.php?smp=&lang=eng


Netherland


Two drums at the nuclear reactor near the Dutch town Petten have leaked radioactive waste, Dutch daily de Telegraaf reported on Friday. The drums contained items used for nuclear research in the 1960s such as bolts, tools and samples. Some of these items were made of PVC. Under the influence of radiation a chemical reaction can cause the PVC to damage the steel of the drums. Dutring the past two months, the owner of the nuclear facility, NRG, tried to repackage the drums into safer containers. During the repackaging, NRG discovered that two drums had broken and were leaking radiation. The company has temporarily ceased the repackaging activities and sealed the storage tube that holds the broken drums. They are currently looking into a safer way of repackaging them. NRG is confident that the leaks were of such a small magnitude that neither their employees nor anyone else in the surrounding area has been adversely affected.
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Conn.

The Millstone 2 nuclear power plant had an unscheduled shutdown at 11:05 a.m. today after one of the plant's four cooling water pumps tripped off during the scheduled work that required another pump to be off, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said. The reduced flow to the plant's condenser caused operators to shut the plant down. The reason for the trip-off of the pump was still being determined early this afternoon, the federal agency said.
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Italy

Situation Update No. 3
On 27.02.2010 at 10:47 GMT+2


An oil spill caused by sabotage at a refinery in northern central Italy threatened to reach the Adriatic Sea despite round-the-clock efforts to set up barriers to stop it, reports said Saturday. Strong currents on the River Po swept some of the oil along before emergency workers could set up barriers to stop and absorb the oil, the daily Corriere della Sera reported. It was now feared that some of the oil would reach Po delta and from there the Adriatic Sea on Sunday. Two further barriers were being set up at Gaurda Venat and Serravalle. Civil defence chief Guido Bertolaso praised the work of the fire department and civil defence workers so far and said "I am convinced that not a drop of oil will reach the sea." The huge oil spill was caused by a suspected act of sabotage at a refinery near Monza with several million litres of oil and diesel spilling into the River Lambro, a tributary of the Po. The Lambro was badly contaminated by the spill, with reports of a slick reaching up to two kilometres long. Hundreds of ducks and other birds were killed, with local fishermen describing a stinking mess and raising doubts that the slick was being contained. The Italian navy despatched two special vessels to the Po delta region to help in the cleanup, while environmentalists and fishermen alike voiced concerns about the impact on the region's plant and animal life.
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[pleah]

1. K&R

[Duckhunter935]

2. Sounds like the safety measures work

I like how an electrical problem with a pump and nuclear plant will be the end of us all.

An oil spill caused by sabotage - that makes us look real good

[wtmusic]

3. Glad Obama is having safe nuclear replace those nasty fossil fuels. nt