Radioactive spill reported in Northeast Ohio nuclear power plant
|Published: Dec. 16, 2024,
Ohio's Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Lake County.Google Earth
By Zachary Smith, cleveland.com
PERRY, Ohio -- At least 78 gallons of water containing radioactive chemicals were spilled at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant in Lake County in 2024, according to a voluntary report from its parent corporation, Texas-based Vistra Corp.
In its report to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Vistra says that “manipulation of a lid upon a container holding radiological waste” in an outdoor area spilled “contaminated water from the container” onto the ground of the Lake County facility.
When plant personnel conducted subsequent research into the event, they found that a total of “78.5 gallons of contaminated water had spilled to the ground” since January 2024, according to the report. Vistra described that figure as a “conservative” estimate.
Two chemicals contaminated the water, according to the report. The first was cobalt-60, which can cause cancer if someone is exposed to it over a long period, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The second was the less-toxic manganese-54.
Energy Harbor, a former FirstEnergy subsidiary that became its own company in 2019, owns and operates the plant.
Vistra writes in the report that the spill has not caused the public to receive a dose above the allowable limits of the chemicals.
“There was no impact on the health and safety of the public or plant personnel,” the report said.
At the time, Vistra said it took precautionary actions by removing the storage container from the area and covering a storm drain to prevent further migration into the stormwater system. A third-party company has also instituted a sampling plan to monitor an adjacent stream that was impacted by the spill, the report said.
A cleveland.com reporter has reached out to the Perry Nuclear Power Plan for comment on this story.
The spill happened on Oct. 14, according to the report. It was reported to authorities on Oct. 29, along with another incident in which a generator was determined to be inoperable during a “monthly surveillance run,” according to a second report filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
In May, the Perry Nuclear Power Plant closed so inspectors could find and repair a coolant leak.
Perry Nuclear Power Plant was expected to close in 2021 because it was no longer profitable compared to natural gas plants. However, this was avoided when Ohio House Bill 6 was signed into law in July 2019. HB-6 added a fee to residents' utility bills that funded subsidies of $150 million per year to keep Perry and the Davis–Besse nuclear plant operational.
H.B. 6 was part of the Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder’s $60 million bribery scheme to benefit FirstEnergy Corp, a subsidiary of Energy Harbor at the time.
Vistra purchased Energy Harbor for more than $3.4 billion in 2023. Vistra also operates seven natural gas, oil and coal power plants throughout the state.
Two chemicals contaminated the water, according to the report. The first was cobalt-60, which can cause cancer if someone is exposed to it over a long period, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The second was the less-toxic manganese-54.
Energy Harbor, a former FirstEnergy subsidiary that became its own company in 2019, owns and operates the plant.
Vistra writes in the report that the spill has not caused the public to receive a dose above the allowable limits of the chemicals.
“There was no impact on the health and safety of the public or plant personnel,” the report said.
At the time, Vistra said it took precautionary actions by removing the storage container from the area and covering a storm drain to prevent further migration into the stormwater system. A third-party company has also instituted a sampling plan to monitor an adjacent stream that was impacted by the spill, the report said.
A cleveland.com reporter has reached out to the Perry Nuclear Power Plan for comment on this story.
The spill happened on Oct. 14, according to the report. It was reported to authorities on Oct. 29, along with another incident in which a generator was determined to be inoperable during a “monthly surveillance run,” according to a second report filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
In May, the Perry Nuclear Power Plant closed so inspectors could find and repair a coolant leak.
Perry Nuclear Power Plant was expected to close in 2021 because it was no longer profitable compared to natural gas plants. However, this was avoided when Ohio House Bill 6 was signed into law in July 2019. HB-6 added a fee to residents' utility bills that funded subsidies of $150 million per year to keep Perry and the Davis–Besse nuclear plant operational.
H.B. 6 was part of the Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder’s $60 million bribery scheme to benefit FirstEnergy Corp, a subsidiary of Energy Harbor at the time.
Vistra purchased Energy Harbor for more than $3.4 billion in 2023. Vistra also operates seven natural gas, oil and coal power plants throughout the state.
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