Patrick Calls For More Tests At Nuclear Plants

Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick is asking the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to ramp up testing for potential leaks both Vermont's Yankee plant and  the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, Mass.

The request came a day after Vermont's top health official said it's reasonable to assume tritium leaking from the Vermont plant is reaching the Connecticut River, even though health officials believe the impact to public health would be minimal.

A spokesman for the Pilgrim plant said officials there have been testing for any release of tritium since 2007. He said test wells have shown very low levels of tritium that do not indicate leaks.

Patrick is also asking the NRC to postpone relicensing both plants until any leaks are fixed.