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A trace of uranium found in a container of oil Wednesday night prompted several hours of concern at the Babcock & Wilcox facility on Mt. Athos Road.
The company notified the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that it had found uranium and it was unknown whether it posed a hazard. A few hours later the company declared the situation safe.
The incident triggered an alert, the lowest emergency level the NRC has. It began around 7:45 p.m., according to an NRC event report.
Roger Hannah, spokesman for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, said a B&W employee saw what appeared to be metal or uranium in a container of oil. The oil had been used in a saw that cuts fuel components. There were 54 liters of oil in the receptacle, according to the event report.
The B&W facility in Campbell County handles highly enriched uranium used in nuclear fuel. It can cause “criticalities,” or strong bursts of radiation, when there is enough uranium present in a container that keeps the particles close together.
“When they first found this … they didn’t know the exact amount in there at that point,” Hannah said. Also, the oil container did not have safety measures designed for holding uranium. The company declared an alert.
The commission’s resident inspector assigned to the B&W site reported to the scene Wednesday night, according to the event report.
B&W activated its Emergency Operations Center. Also, the NRC staffed a response center at its Atlanta office to monitor the situation, according to a news release.
About 25 employees responded to the situation, and assisted in its resolution, media spokeswoman Carla Parks said in an e-mail Thursday.
At 12:35 a.m. on Thursday, B&W declared that the situation was safe. There was not enough uranium in the container to risk a criticality, the event report said.
In a statement, Parks said, “at no time was there a release of radioactive material involving the incident, nor was there imminent danger posed to the employees, the public or the environment.”
The company planned to remove the oil and uranium from the container Thursday, Parks said, adding she expected the removal to be completed today.
The NRC is considering ways to respond to the situation, including the possibility of a special inspection at the plant, Hannah said.
Parks said the company is “in the process of performing a thorough investigation and identifying corrective action.”
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Reader Reactions
Do you actually believe that THIS is the first ...cover-up????? UH,taken care of—-in house????
It’s true! beigeworks and others you need to see this article on CNN.com
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/07/19/japan.jellyfish/index.html
The nuclear and uranium industries will admit to lesser environmental damage because its makes them look good (TRANSLATION: See how great and safe we are!! We “man up” to our mistakes immediately because we’re responsible and have the public’s best interest at heart!!!).
The reality of these two death producing industries is much darker and much more deceitful than the public is ever allowed to know.
Hundreds of deadly, toxic nuclear/uranium leaks and accidents occur DAILY because of gross human error and miscalculation inside the industry and are covered up annually, with our governments approval, because if the public EVER got wind of what was up and how our environment, our health, and our quality of life is being destroyed by this nuclear/uranium cabala, all nuke plants and uranium mines would be immediately shut down nationwide, and the industry big dogs know this; that’s why they funnel millions of dollars to elect officials that will aid and abet them, and it allows those powerful individuals at the very top to remain in power in this country and become very, very wealthy indeed.
We shut down dangerous construction sites immediately in this country, but the nuke/uranium industry is allowed to operate virtually unchecked and unchallenged. FYI: We have enough stored uranium in Kentucky to last us for 150 years, but industry insiders want to keep receiving their nuke welfare checks off the backs of the American taxpayer because we’re the gift that keeps on giving. Virginia’s appointed and elected official are especially corrupt in this regard.
to aurthur piewny
What did you expect in communist Russia I thought we were talking about the US and the deadly secrets you think our country is hiding. I have never seen giant ants just cartoon ones, you sure you weren’t watching cartoons in your moms basement and weren’t feeling very well again. Anyway I wish we did have giant ants, once when I was in South America I ate ants and they were quite good but I had to eat tons of them. It would have been nice to have just been able to feast on one large one. We may be able to solve world hunger, think how many starving families could have a healthy source of protein and a good meal. Think of the possibilities. now go lay down now, i hope you feel better.
Come on Mr.Imprimis—— I’m trying to pull this guy UP. This is fun for me. Do I go around trying to spoil your fun?
Even if I could, I wouldn’t.
Oh, right Mr. Beigeworks—-
What are you going to tell us next, that those giant ants were fake? I wasn’t born yesterday.
Safe—- Yes, as long as you don’t count the waste and the fact that there isn’t an insurance company in the WORLD that doesn’t have an exclusion in their policies that says—- we pay NOTHING for damage caused by nuclear facilities.
Now, in my experience, you can get insurance coverage for just about anything, for a price. NOT NUCLEAR!
If it’s so safe, why do you think that is?
[side note] I have relatives who retired from the Savannah Site and others who work in the National Lab.
Oh and —-“we haven’t had an accident since 3 mile island in the 70s and no one was even hurt.“—-
You seen any pictures of the children born around that place in Russia? Tell them why don’t ya?
beigeworks -
Before you waste too much more time and bandwidth, look up “Wind-Up Artist” in a good slang dictionary.
And remember, don’t try to debate with one - they’ll drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
Wow, I have just been informed about your amusing rants and warped ideas posted constantly on this sight ( just curious why must you respond to all these articles, is this a hobby of yours?). Nuclear power is by far the safest and most effecent form of energy today and we haven’t had an accident since 3 mile island in the 70s and no one was even hurt. Since then the technology has gotten even better and safer. I seriously doubt there are conspericies hiding what goes on in the nuclear energy industry. Also I wanted to let you know that attack of the 50 ft woman was a fictional movie not a news report encase you were out of it like you seem today. You should probaly lie down you seem to not be feeling well or making sense.
Oh, real nice! Where are all the people telling us how safe nuclear energy is? Who knows WHAT kind of deadly stuff goes missing at that place.
Well, they ALL will be singing a different tune when ants the size of Oldsmobiles come crawling up out of the polluted radioactive ground. Or, people start growing to 100 feet tall. It’s happened before folks. I seen it on TV.
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