- Hardly a single day passes without Korea's nuclear news
hitting the headlines and this time around it concerns heavy water leakage
at a nuclear power station.
-
- The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) said Sunday
a total of 10 workers were exposed to radioactivity after over 3,000 kilograms
of heavy water leaked from the second reactor of the Wolsong Nuclear Power
Plant on September 14.
-
- "During a maintenance operation for the second reactor,
workers didn't close a valve while introducing coolants, causing the leakage
of 3,085 kilograms of heavy water," the ministry said in a statement.
-
- The plant, situated in Kyongju, North Kyongsang Province,
took emergency measures and retrieved 3,077 kilograms, the remaining 8
kilograms having evaporated.
-
- During the accident, workers were exposed to about 0.05mSv
of radiation. The maximum amount of radiation exposure allowed per annum
in nuclear power stations is 50mSv.
-
- "The Wolsong plant checked the medical condition
of the workers in question and found no problems. Currently, they are doing
their jobs as usual," the MOST said.
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- Despite the explanation, the accident is increasing public
concern, being the third leakage of heavy water at the Wolsong plant in
five years. Similar cases were reported in October 1999 and July 2002.
-
- The mishap was brought to light days after it occurred
only after pressure from regional civic groups that visited the site.
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- "The government is not required to disclose the
Wolsong incident as the leakage took place when the reactor was not in
operation," the MOST claimed.
-
- The ministry added that it would decide the timing for
the resumption of the reactor's regular operations after the accident has
been thoroughly investigated.
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- The unique chemical properties of heavy water as compared
to ordinary water make it an extremely efficient material for use as a
moderator in a nuclear reactor.
-
- Heavy water is a primary coolant to remove heat in a
fission reactor ahead of the secondary refrigerant of light water.
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