Hanford investigating possible leak in 2nd double-walled tank containing radioactive waste

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Officials for the Hanford Nuclear Reservation are trying to determine if a second giant tank containing radioactive waste from the production of plutonium for nuclear weapons is leaking.

Hanford officials said Tuesday that filters inside an aging tank known as AY-101 recently showed radiation at higher than normal background levels.

But they say a video inspection of the tank found no evidence that radioactive waste had leaked from the primary tank into the space between the two walls. They say a leak is one possibility they are studying.

A Hanford watchdog group on Tuesday contended the higher radiation found by the filters was evidence of a leak in a second tank. Earlier this month, Hanford officials revealed that a double-walled tank known as AY-102 was leaking.

Hanford is near Richland.