The State : Rancho Seco Leak Probed

Investigators for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are trying to determine why a four-year-old radioactive water leak at the Rancho Seco nuclear power plant is larger than first reported and why power plant officials can’t seem to find the source of the problem. Officials at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, which operates Rancho Seco, said all of the radioactive water is being caught in a special collection system and has not contaminated any soil under the power plant. “We were first told that it was between four and 12 gallons a day,” said NRC spokesman Greg Cook. “Then we were told it is as least 50 gallons, but probably not 100, somewhere closer to 80.” Bob Wichert, acting manager of nuclear plant operations said “we are working hard at finding the source of that water, but all of it is going into the collection system.”