British Nuclear Fuels PLC (BNFL) has been fined £5,000 at Dumfries Sheriff Court following a breach of authorisation under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. The company plead guilty to the charge regarding an incident on 3 September 1999 at Chapelcross Nuclear Power Station caused by a spillage of radioactively contaminated water.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) was notified of the incident and took a number of water samples from the Gullielands Burn both on and off the site - the power station's surface water drains connect to this local watercourse. SEPA officers also made radiological measurements in the stream bed. Neither results showed significant differences from levels normally found in that environment, although in SEPA?s view it was very likely that the spillage reached site drains.

In the subsequent investigation SEPA concluded the incident was caused by a combination of human error and a lack of written procedures. SEPA subsequently served an enforcement notice requiring improvements to site procedures which the company has complied with. Improvements to equipment were also made. A report was also sent to the Procurator Fiscal.

"This was the third incident involving problems with liquid radioactive waste handling on the site to come to SEPA's attention since December 1998," said Dr Jim Gemmill, SEPA Specialist Environmental Protection Officer. "Although there appears to have been no detectable contamination of the local watercourse in this instance, SEPA viewed this matter and the conditions which gave rise to it very seriously. SEPA is satisfied with this outcome which supports its view that all conditions of authorisation must be complied with."