Philippsburg (dpa / lsw) – An eight centimeter long crack was discovered in a barrel with low-level radioactive waste from block 1 of the decommissioned nuclear power plant in Philippsburg (Karlsruhe district). “Contamination could not be determined,” said the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Environment on Thursday. “There was never a danger to people or the environment.”
According to the information, the 200-liter barrel was filled with cemented sludge in 1983 and is located in a hall. The radioactive substances in it were bound by the cementing, it said.
Rust has formed over time, the ministry said. “Because corrosion on metal drums after a long period of storage is not uncommon, the drums are regularly inspected in this hall.” The affected area was temporarily sealed. In addition, the barrel is placed in a larger container.
The energy supplier EnBW has been dismantling Block 1 in Philippsburg since May 2017. The kiln went into operation in 1979. Block 2 has also been in dismantling since 2020. The last nuclear power plant of the Karlsruhe group that is still supplying electricity is Neckarwestheim 2 in the district of Heilbronn, which must be taken off the grid by mid-April at the latest as part of Germany’s decision to phase out nuclear energy.
