David_Reverchon
Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire
www.irsn.fr/index.php?position=socatri_tricastin
www.criirad.org/actualites/dossiers-08/tricastin-juil08/s...
Spillage of uranium-bearing effluents into the environment at the SOCATRI nuclear facility (Drôme, France)
During the night of 7 to 8 July, for a so far unknown reason, a tank of the Uranium-bearing Effluent Treatment Station (STEU) of the SOCATRI* company flowed over its retention tank. This retention tank being undergoing works was not tight at that time. These effluents, on one hand, percolated in the soil within the SOCATRI facility boundary and on the other hand, flowed to the “Gaffière” river and then to the “Lauzon” river through rain collectors.
SOCATRI initially evaluated the release to about 30 m3 of uranium-bearing solution with a concentration of about 12 grams of natural uranium per litre. A new evaluation performed by the utility lead to lower estimates.
For the sake of precaution, ASN advised the Prefects of the Drôme and Vaucluse départements to take, not awaiting the results of expertises, restriction measures of nautical and fishing practices and use of water for irrigation and drinking purposes.
SOCATRI performed today, July 9th, a removal of the contaminated soil on its site so as to prevent the underground migration of uranium. ASN requested IRSN to confirm the efficacy of such a countermeasure.
The measurements performed by SOCATRI in the water table, in private wells as well as in the neighbouring ponds of the « Trop Long », the «Baltraces » and the « Girardes » do not exhibit an abnormal increase of the uranium concentration from the natural level. Monitoring by SOCATRI of surface waters of the « Gaffière and Lauzon » show a fast decrease of the uranium concentration. The last measured values in these rivers outside the SOCATRI site boundary are of the order of guide value of the World Heath Organisation (WHO) for drinkable waters.
ASN requested the utility to perform measurements in the riverbeds of the Gaffière and the Lauzon so as to detect a possible uranium deposition.
ASN requested IRSN to proceed to independent measurements from those performed by the utility and to determine the best additional means of surveillance of the radioactivity of the water table.
The precautionary measures will be discontinued depending on the results of the ongoing expertises.
ASN will perform an inspection on July 10th, on the SOCATRI site in order to assess, in particular, the precise causes of the event and examine the provisions taken by the licensee.
ASN has provisionally classified this incident at level 1 on the INES scale.
* The SOCATRI facility is involved in support of the nuclear installations of the TRICASTIN site performing in particular maintenance of equipments contaminated by uranium and treatment of uranium-bearing effluents.
Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire
www.irsn.fr/index.php?position=socatri_tricastin
www.criirad.org/actualites/dossiers-08/tricastin-juil08/s...
Spillage of uranium-bearing effluents into the environment at the SOCATRI nuclear facility (Drôme, France)
During the night of 7 to 8 July, for a so far unknown reason, a tank of the Uranium-bearing Effluent Treatment Station (STEU) of the SOCATRI* company flowed over its retention tank. This retention tank being undergoing works was not tight at that time. These effluents, on one hand, percolated in the soil within the SOCATRI facility boundary and on the other hand, flowed to the “Gaffière” river and then to the “Lauzon” river through rain collectors.
SOCATRI initially evaluated the release to about 30 m3 of uranium-bearing solution with a concentration of about 12 grams of natural uranium per litre. A new evaluation performed by the utility lead to lower estimates.
For the sake of precaution, ASN advised the Prefects of the Drôme and Vaucluse départements to take, not awaiting the results of expertises, restriction measures of nautical and fishing practices and use of water for irrigation and drinking purposes.
SOCATRI performed today, July 9th, a removal of the contaminated soil on its site so as to prevent the underground migration of uranium. ASN requested IRSN to confirm the efficacy of such a countermeasure.
The measurements performed by SOCATRI in the water table, in private wells as well as in the neighbouring ponds of the « Trop Long », the «Baltraces » and the « Girardes » do not exhibit an abnormal increase of the uranium concentration from the natural level. Monitoring by SOCATRI of surface waters of the « Gaffière and Lauzon » show a fast decrease of the uranium concentration. The last measured values in these rivers outside the SOCATRI site boundary are of the order of guide value of the World Heath Organisation (WHO) for drinkable waters.
ASN requested the utility to perform measurements in the riverbeds of the Gaffière and the Lauzon so as to detect a possible uranium deposition.
ASN requested IRSN to proceed to independent measurements from those performed by the utility and to determine the best additional means of surveillance of the radioactivity of the water table.
The precautionary measures will be discontinued depending on the results of the ongoing expertises.
ASN will perform an inspection on July 10th, on the SOCATRI site in order to assess, in particular, the precise causes of the event and examine the provisions taken by the licensee.
ASN has provisionally classified this incident at level 1 on the INES scale.
* The SOCATRI facility is involved in support of the nuclear installations of the TRICASTIN site performing in particular maintenance of equipments contaminated by uranium and treatment of uranium-bearing effluents.