Xcel Energy reported the leak to state and federal authorities in November, but it was only made public this week. Officials from the state explained that they chose to keep the public uninformed about the spill until they had “more information.”
According to Michael Rafferty, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, they knew there was tritium in one monitoring well, but Xcel had not yet identified the source or location of the leak. Now that they have the information, they are sharing it. However, Rafferty emphasized that the contaminated water remains contained on Xcel’s property and poses no “immediate threat” to public health.
The nuclear power plant leak is the latest environmental disaster in the US and comes after an unprecedented series of train derailments and chemical factory fires leading many to believe there is an orchestrated plot to contaminate the air and water in rural communities.