Nuclear plant potassium iodide plan goes forward

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) received the first portion of a supply of potassium iodide (KI) from the federal government. Residents living within 10 miles of the Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear generating plants will be offered two doses of KI at no cost.

KI is a form of iodine that can offer partial protection from some types of radioactive emissions. HSEM worked closely with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to request the stockpile from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Minnesota is one of 21 states to accept the NRC offer of KI.

Maple Lake is within the 10-mile radius of the Monticello Nuclear Plant and the safety step planned by the HSEM has been a topic at District 881 School Board meetings for several months.

“The school district has attended several meetings with Homeland Security, the Minnesota Department of Education and others in preparation for stockpiling and dispensing of KI,” said Superintendent Mark Redemske. “We will most likely never have to use the procedures being created, but we want to have an effective system in place to protect our students and staff should we ever need it.”

The school district has been given options concerning whether to have its stockpile of KI in liquid or tablet form and if it wants to store the stockpile in school facilities. School Nurse Leah Wagner recommended liquid form for the KI doses for district students and the board and a HSEM representative will be at the July 24 board meeting to provide more information.

An iodine release could potentially occur in the unlikely event of a nuclear plant incident. The use of KI would be recommended as an additional safeguard, supplementing other emergency measures such as evacuation and protection of the food supply. When used correctly, potassium iodide can prevent or reduce absorption of radioactive iodine by the thyroid gland. The thyroid is uniquely vulnerable if a person is exposed to radioactive iodine and will get a higher effective dose of radiation than the rest of the body. It doesn’t protect any other part of the body, or shield against any other source of radiation.

The KI provided to the state by the NRC would be stored in homes, businesses and schools in the area. During an emergency, evacuation is the preferred method of protecting the public. KI provides an additional layer of protection in case evacuation is not possible, because of weather or security concerns.

HSEM is working closely with MDH, the Nuclear Management Company (NMC), the Prairie Island Indian Community and local schools, as well as county and local government officials to finalize a KI distribution plan. That plan should be in place later this year and the KI will be available to residents within 10 miles of the plants by February 2007.