Radioactive leaks at nuclear power plants in France

On April 5, two small fires caused radioactive leaks at France's Penly power plant, on the English Channel near Dieppe harbor, but the leaked radiation was collected back into two solid containers. safely, according to authorities.

>>>Radiation at Fukushima 1 is extremely dangerous

The plant operator, EDF (Electricite de France), said a reactor was closed automatically after the two small fires mentioned above.

Firefighters easily extinguished the fires, but a cooling pump was broken, causing radioactive water leakage at the pipe joint. The water was then collected into tanks placed inside the reactor, EDF said.

Penly nuclear power plant

The reactor continues to be properly cooled and professional treatment teams are gradually lowering water pressure, according to the company.

EDF said the whole process was safe, no one was hurt and 'no consequences for the environment'.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, but the French Nuclear Safety Agency (ASN) said firefighters found puddles of oil and put out the fire there.

'There are oil-burning puddles a few centimeters in size , ' said an ASN spokesman, Evangelia Petit, on Friday. ASN also said that the level of alarm of this incident is only level 1 (abnormal) in the seven international levels of INES for nuclear accidents, with level 7 being 'big trouble'.

France currently uses 75% of its nuclear power needs and is expected to be a controversial topic in the upcoming presidential elections in April and May. As the country most dependent on nuclear energy, France currently has 58 reactors operating, but concerns have increased since the Fukushima disaster in Japan as well as claims from neighboring Germany will close all. nuclear plants at the end of 2022.