France

Minister orders water tests after nuclear accident

Article published on the 2008-07-17 Latest update 2008-07-18 14:56 TU

Tricastin nuclear power station.
(Photo: AFP)

French Ecology Minister Jean-Louis Borloo says that he will order safety checks on water tables near all of France's nuclear power stations after an accident at a power station at Tricastin in the south of the country. Studies made after the accident showed the presence of uranium in the water supply in the surrounding area.

Borloo told the Parisien newspaper that he will order checks on water tables near all of France's nuclear power stations. Nuclear power comprises 87 per cent of France's electricity production.

On 8 July untreated uranium spilled from the Tricastin power station in  the Vaucluse region, near Avignon. It came from a leak in a tank at a treatment plant on the site run by the Areva group of companies.

The leak was not officially announced until 11 pm, although the alarm had been sounded at 7 pm.

Residents of  the surrounding area were forbidden to use water from drinking wells or swimming or fishing in rivers nearby. Restrictions were partially lifted on Friday.

An inspection by nuclear safety officials found that the effects of the leak were relatively limited but it also uncovered pollution which appears to have been present long before the incident.

Local politicians have raised suspicions that this could come from military nuclear waste which was buried in the area between 1969 and 1976.

Borloo has demanded that the Areva boss, Anne Lauvergon, who will visit the site on Friday, discipline staff for negligence in relation to maintenance. 

Ecologist groups have demanded independent tests around all of France's nuclear sites.