LONDON (AP) — The largest nuclear site in Europe was being operated with reduced staffing Friday after monitoring found higher-than-normal levels of radiation.
The Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in northwestern England said in a statement that elevated levels of radioactivity had been found at one of the on-site radiation monitors at the north end of the site. It added that there was “no risk to the general public or workforce.”
Only essential workers are being asked to report for shifts Friday, but the station is continuing to operate normally, it said.
“Levels of radioactivity detected are above naturally occurring radiation but well below that which would call for any actions to be taken by the workforce on or off the site,” the company said.
The company said the staffing decision was made to allow it to “focus on investigation and avoid disruption on and off the site.”
In a message to employees posted on its website, the company said all daytime personnel were asked to stay home unless specifically requested to report for duty but that laundry, canteen, utilities and transport staff should work as normal.
Nuclear reprocessing involves separating uranium and plutonium from nuclear waste for reuse as fuel, and treating the waste for storage. Reprocessing has taken place at Sellafield for more than 50 years.
The Sellafield complex, which also includes two former nuclear power plants that are currently being decommissioned, has long been targeted by anti-nuclear campaigners who say there is a high danger of a serious nuclear accident and that the site is a prime target for terrorists. They have pointed to a number of leaks and other incidents there over the years.
It was the subject of a long-running legal dispute between Britain and Ireland, which feared that radioactive waste from Sellafield could be polluting the Irish Sea.
The government has announced that it wants to build a new nuclear reactor at Sellafield by 2025.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.