On-Site Voluntary Search Reveals Small Quantity
of Tritium at Kewaunee Power Station
No threat to public
or station employees
Findings limited to small area underneath station
site
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, state and
counties notified
CARLTON, Wis. – Dominion said Friday it has found a
small quantity of tritium in samples of water taken from a location directly
beneath Kewaunee Power Station. The tritium found in this case poses no threat
to station employees or the public. Other monitoring programs have found no
indication of that minor level beyond a small area underneath the station.
Tritium is a naturally occurring isotope of hydrogen and is
also produced by nuclear reactor operations. It is commonly found in water and
generally is not considered hazardous. The samples containing small quantities
of tritium are not from a drinking water source.
The company is evaluating the possible source of this tritium,
which was detected in water samples obtained as part of an enhanced voluntary
monitoring program initiated by the nuclear industry.
The findings were reported to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission as well as officials of Wisconsin, Kewaunee County and Manitowoc
County.
Dominion (NYSE: D) is one of the nation’s largest producers
of energy, with an energy portfolio of about 28,000 megawatts of generation.
Dominion also serves retail energy customers in 10 states. For more information
about Dominion and electrical safety, visit the company’s Web site at
www.dom.com.
