Xcel Energy: Contaminated water from prior Monticello leak found near Mississippi River

Monticello nuclear plant leak: Xcel Energy officials provide update [RAW]

Officials on Friday, March 24, provided an update after Xcel Energy said it was shutting down its nuclear power plant in Monticello after a second leak.

MONTICELLO, Minn. (FOX 9) - Xcel Energy says monitoring systems at its Monticello Nuclear Plant have determined groundwater containing tritium may be present near the Mississippi River.

A tritium leak occurred at the nuclear reactor in November 2022, but because there was no immediate risk to the public, officials did not announce it until March 2023. Xcel fixed the water leak and has since recovered 75% of the tritium that was released, the energy company said.

However, Xcel said on Thursday there were low levels of tritium found 30 feet from the Mississippi River at about 1,000 picocuries per liter, which is below the Safe Drinking Water Act standards of 20,000 picocuries per liter.

Additionally, they say there is no evidence the groundwater has reached the Mississippi at this time.

"Since the day we first confirmed a leak of tritiated water was present at the plant, we have worked around the clock to isolate and recover the affected groundwater," Chris Clark, president of Xcel Energy–Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota said in a press release. "We take our responsibility for providing safe, reliable and clean energy to the community seriously, and will continue to work closely with state and federal regulators to ensure a thorough cleanup."