Nuclear Event: Officials Investigating Perry Nuclear Power Plant Incident after Higher-than-Usual Levels of Radiation are Detected - 27th Apr 2011

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials are conducting an investigation after workers at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant made a mistake that exposed them to higher-than-usual levels of radiation.

Plant spokesman Todd Schneider said the incident happened on Friday when four contracted workers were doing refuelling work on a reactor in the plant’s containment building.

The workers were removing a part from under the reactor but did not use the proper length of cable to pull the equipment out.

As a result, the piece did not go into a protective covering as it would have had they used the proper cable, Schneider said.

While in the vicinity of the exposed equipment, the workers’ radiation monitors began to sound. They immediately left the area to avoid further contamination.

Schneider said that although the radiation levels were higher than usual, they were not dangerous.

“The highest level in any of the workers was equivalent to getting about three X-rays,” he said.

The incident also does not pose a health risk to the public since it happened in the plant’s containment building, Schneider said.

On Tuesday, officials worked to replace the equipment as the NRC began its investigation.

According to Schneider, the plant is conducting its own investigation into the incident as well. Source