WHITE PLAINS, New York — The Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced Monday that it will undertake a five-month investigation into several recent accidental releases of radioactive water, including a tritium-contaminated leak at the Indian Point nuclear power plant.

The announcement came three days after the commission ruled that the leak at Indian Point, 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of midtown Manhattan, was not endangering anyone.

The NRC has come to similar conclusions about tritium releases found at four other plants, including the Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station near Chicago, where the radioactive element was found beyond the plant property.

"The available information on these releases shows no hazard to the public," said Luis Reyes, the NRC's executive director for operations. "Nonetheless, we need to conduct an in-depth review to see if the NRC needs to take additional action of a broad nature."

In high doses, tritium can cause cancer in people.

The commission said 11 NRC experts and one representative of a state government will comprise the task force. It said its review will be completed by Aug. 31 and a report will be written before the end of the year.

Source: Associated Press

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