Table 18.7 - Important incidents in nuclear fuel cycle facilities (Western Europe)

Source: OECD, 1993

Nuclear fuel cycle facility Location Date Type of abnormal event Scale Probable cause
Spent fuel reprocessing plant Windscale, UK 1970 Nuclear criticality No injuries; no release into the environment Insufficient monitoring during transfer of liquors from one tank to another
Uranium enrichment plant Pierrelatte, FR 1977 Release of hazardous chemical products No injuries; small chemical hazards outside the plant Accidental atmospheric release of 7016 kg of U hexafluoride
Fuel element fabrication facility Hanau, DE 1990 Chemical explosion No release to environment; 2 workers injured Explosion of an off gas scrubber due to abnormal heating of a pump
Spent fuel reprocessing plant Cap de la Hague, FR 1980 Fire No significant release to environment; contamination limited to site Exothermic reaction during storage of combustible and pyrophoric materials
Spent fuel reprocessing plant Sellafield, UK 1983 Release of radioactive liquid Unauthorised release to the environment; temporary off-site protective measures needed Mishandling; release of radioactive liquid to the sea
Spent fuel reprocessing plant Cap de la Hague, FR 1980 Loss of power supply No injuries; no external release of radioactivity Short circuit in an electric cable and subsequent fire

Note: See Table 5.9 for country codes.