A Note from Larry Smith at Vermont Yankee

March 9, 2010

Vermont Yankee engineers and technicians continue their investigation into the source of tritium in the plant's groundwater. The Vermont Department of Health and Nuclear Regulatory Commission personnel are monitoring the investigation.

Field investigation work continues with Advanced Off Gas (AOG) tunnel inspections projected to be completed soon. Ground water monitoring wells also continue to be a focus with completion of the final new well projected for later this week. Preliminary planning for both soil and groundwater remediation actions is continuing.

Today is the last day of Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) inspection of the Advanced Off Gas (AOG) pipe tunnel and the AOG drain pipe identified to be leaking water. The inspection will allow engineers to determine the source for the small amount of leakage remaining internal to the tunnel and develop additional remedial steps that can be taken to completely eliminate the leak. As previously reported, water coming from the pipe is not reaching the environment. The water is being collected in a sump for processing through plant systems as designed.

Well GZ-10, located in the excavation pit, continues a downward trend in its tritium concentration. Today's reading of 525,000 picocuries per liter is significantly below its highest level of 2.5 million picocuries/liter recorded in mid-February.

While this investigation continues, it is important to note that there has been no detectable tritium levels found in any samples taken from drinking water wells or the river.

For more details on the tritium investigation, the Vermont Department of Health has a thorough status report on the investigation at this web link: http://healthvermont.gov/enviro/rad/yankee/tritium.aspx