Tritium leak isolated at Ill. power plant

MORRIS, Ill., June 16 (UPI) -- A 24-inch aluminum pipe at an Illinois nuclear power plant has been identified as the source of a tritium leak, officials say.

Engineers for Dresden Generating Station owner Exelon said the leak was traced to the pipe using ultrasonic testing and will be repaired, the Joliet (Ill.) Herald-News reported Tuesday.

Exelon told federal regulators last week that workers found tritium-contaminated water in one monitoring well, in nearby storm drains and in a concrete vault. The source of the leak was subsequently traced to a 24-inch aluminum pipe that carries tritiated water between storage tanks and plant systems, the Herald-News said.

"At no time has there been a threat to public or employee health and safety," Dresden Station site Vice President Tim Hanley said in a written statement.

Tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that emits very low levels of radiation, occurs naturally in water but is found in higher levels in water that passes through nuclear reactors, the newspaper reported. Health officials say prolonged exposure to it can cause an increased likelihood of cancer.