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.