Oak Ridge National Laboratory tileOAK RIDGE, Tenn. - A cleanup contractor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory says an old research reactor pool has a small leak, but that there's no radiation threat.
The leak led to an urgent response by the U.S. Department of Energy and its contractor.
Allen Schubert, communications chief for URS-CH2M Oak Ridge, told the Knoxville News Sentinel that the water leaking from the reactor pool is only slightly radioactive. According to records, the leak has been measured at about 100 drops per minute. The entire reactor pool holds about 125,000 gallons of water, which provides shielding for the radioactive materials.
The leak is being contained in a basin, and Schubert says it does not pose any health or safety threat.
The research reactor has been shut down for more than 25 years.