Kenneth Fletcher
RW Monitor
10/31/2014
Honeywell is still determining how much uranium hexafluoride leaked after an Oct. 26 equipment failure at its Metropolis Works uranium conversion facility in Illinois. The leak began at about 7:35 p.m. and was active for less than an hour. The cause of the release was traced to an equipment failure near the end of the production process, Honeywell said. “The facility is presently working to determine how much material was leaked as part of its investigation,” spokesman Peter Dalpe said in a written response. He added: “The leak was active for less than an hour. During that entire time, the leak was being contained using the plant’s safety systems, including the mitigation spray towers. Emergency response teams were able to then capture the leaking materials using a vacuum system and stop the flow of material to the leaking equipment.”
Dalpe said in a statement: “Plant personnel followed all emergency procedures and plant safety systems performed as designed. There were no injuries and no indication that any UF6 material left the site. The plant is continuing its investigation into the incident and working to determine how much material was released. It has informed the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.”
