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LACEY TOWNSHIP - Months after its presence was initially reported, small amounts of tritium are still being detected at the nation's oldest operating nuclear plant.

An intake sample collected at the Oyster Creek Generating Station on June 12 found detectable levels of tritium, a naturally occurring radioactive form of hydrogen.

That sample contained 16,600 picocuries of tritium per liter of water. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers any levels of tritium less than 20,000 picocuries per liter safe enough to drink.

Investigations at Oyster Creek have yet to find any tritium in drinking water samples, said David Benson, a spokesman for Oyster Creek.

Two areas of pipes thought to be the source of the leaks were removed and replaced in May, but tests are done daily for tritium. The sample taken June 12 is considered an anomaly by plant officials.

"We're sure we've got the leaks" resolved, Benson said. "But we keep uncovering these pipes just for a look."

Workers are excavating by hand around a 24-foot-long, 1-inch-thick area of water line near the turbine building at the plant's site to visually inspect the area for any remaining tritium.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission conducted its own investigation of the tritium leaks last week, NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan said.

State Sen. Christopher J. Connors and Assemblymen Brian E. Rumpf and Daniel M. Van Pelt, all R-Ocean, Burlington, Atlantic, called for President Barack Obama to order the NRC to release an internal root cause analysis document, intended for engineers to try and find what could have caused the leaks in the first place.

Sheehan said such documents usually are not released publicly. "This is not something we really do," he said. "But we'll be responding to the letters from the state legislators."

The NRC's report on its investigation is expected to be released sometime within 45 days of the investigation's completion, Sheehan said.

E-mail Ben Leach:

BLeach@pressofac.com

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