Petten nuclear reactor shut down over leak

The High Flux Reactor in Petten, Noord-Holland, was shut down on Thursday after a quantity of contaminated water leaked into a crawl space. According to operator NRG, the reactor was turned off safely and there is no danger to the environment, NU.nl reports.

The leak has now been fixed. It arose during planned work. The employees who performed the work were checked for radioactive substances, but nothing noteworthy was found.

NRG is doing further investigation into the cause and nature of the leak. Groundwater in the immediate vicinity of the reactor is also being monitored.

There is no need for local residents to take protective measures, according to the nuclear safety and radiation protection authority ANVS.