1.5 Million Liters of Radioactive Water Leaked from US Nuclear Plant: CBS

More than 400,000 gallons (1.5 million liters) of water containing tritium, a radioactive hydrogen isotope, leaked from the Monticello nuclear power plant in Minnesota in November 2022. CBS reported this on Friday.

According to the network, the American company Xcel Energy discovered and localized the leak at the Monticello nuclear plant at the end of November last year, but the information was only published this Thursday.

“If there had been any concerns regarding public safety at any point, we would certainly have provided additional information immediately,” said Xcel Energy spokesperson Chris Clark to CBS’s Minnesota division.

Xcel stated that it has thus far recovered about 25% of the spilled tritium, and the cleanup process is ongoing, CBS notes.

According to the network, government officials wanted additional information about the leak before it was made public.