Nuclear power plant leaks 400,000 gallons of radioactive water
NBCNov 25, 2022
440K Gallons of Radioactive Water Leaks from Minn. Nuclear Plant
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Image copyright: Getty Images [via BBC]
The Facts
Xcel Energy is cleaning up a leak of 400K gallons of water contaminated with radioactive tritium from the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant in Minnesota after a leak occurred.
According to a statement from the utility company, the leaked water "is fully contained on-site" and has not been detected in any local drinking water supplies.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
While the leak does not pose a risk to the public or the environment, authorities are still taking this situation seriously and working very hard to address the situation. This incident — including its health and environmental consequences — is being carefully monitored and all potential risks are being evaluated.
Establishment-critical narrative
Although this leak is not dangerous, and tritium spills happen from time to time, any nuclear leak is still worrying. The nuclear plant is not far from a major city and it could have been a lot worse. Any time a nuclear leak occurs, there is cause for concern — and it took authorities a while to make this information public.
