News

Torness Alert

Emergency services were called to Torness nuclear power station on the night of 22nd December 2005. The alarm was raised when staff disposing of spent fuel noticed "anomalous behaviour" of the irradiated substances. Police and Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade were called in.

This was the first full-scale emergency incident at the Torness since the the station opened 17 years ago. Green and Scottish National Party MSPs stepped up their calls for an end to the nuclear power programme after British Energy, which owns the plant, disclosed details of the incident. Chris Ballance, a Green list MSP for the south of Scotland, said the scare was a reminder of the risks associated with nuclear technology. He added: "I am very much relieved that the incident is not a threat to people or the environment. But I will be pressing for the results of an investigation to be made fully open to the public." The SNP MSP Richard Lockhead said: "This further highlights the need for the use of clean and safe technology for electricity generation in Scotland, rather than dirty and dangerous nuclear."

A spokesman for British Energy, which operates the plant, said officials were monitoring the situation, but there was no major panic. He said: "Nobody has been evacuated and the plant is continuing to generate electricity. "The emergency services were called as is normal in this situation, but we will continue to monitor the fuel pond."

Willie Waddle, director of the East Lothian plant, said debris prevented a spent fuel element being properly located in position. British Energy, which operates the plant, said that the emergency services were called in as a precaution, because one possible explanation for the problem was that the fuel element was broken and therefore leaking radiation. But the problem was caused by debris which had made its way into the fuel handling area and prevented the element from fitting properly into its container.

"It shouldn't be there, we are surmising the debris will be graphite sleeves from elements, it will be slightly radioactive as it surrounds the fuel element, but there is no risk to anybody on or off the power station."

Mr Waddle said the investigation to find out how the debris appeared in the container could take a number of days.

BBC 22nd December 2005

Scotsman 24th December 2005