Last November, a tritium-contaminated water storage tank leaked at least 1.5 million liters into groundwater.
It leaked there through a crack in the pipe, which was soon discovered and repaired. However, as early as March, the patch leaked and “hundreds of gallons” more spilled.
“The construction of the barrier wall is another step the company will take to try to keep within the plant the small amount of tritium that has entered the groundwater,” the company said in a statement.
Previously, Xcel representatives claimed that the closest sample, in which tritium was found, was taken just thirty feet from the Mississippi River. However, his concentration was ten times less than the allowable.
The Monticello nuclear power plant is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in the state of Minnesota, 61 kilometers from the large city of Minneapolis with a population of more than 400,000.
