01 June 2004 01:13
Falling ladder shuts down reactor at Russian nuclear power station
Moscow, 1 June: There were five deviations from normal operation of technological equipment at Russian nuclear power
plants in May, but "they did not lead to any reduction in the level of nuclear and radiation safety", an
ITAR-TASS correspondent was told today by the Federal Service for Nuclear Supervision of the Russian Federation
[FSAN].
An FSAN spokesman said that "on 20 May a ladder accidentally fell on the automatic protection button during
repair work in the room housing the control console for the No 4 power unit of the Leningrad nuclear power station. The
power unit was shut down as a result". "On 28 May at the same nuclear power station the protection system
responded to technological parameter readings by shutting down the No 2 power unit," the spokesman told the
agency.
The FSAN spokesman also said that "on 22 and 23 May a turbogenerator at the No 1 power unit of the Balakovo
nuclear power station was disconnected and loading reduced as a result of a temporary stoppage of the main circulatory
pump".
On 28 May "a turbogenerator was disconnected as a result of a fault in the turbine regulatory system" at
the No 3 power unit of the Kola nuclear power station, the FSAN noted.
The FSAN stressed that "all the faults were eliminated in the shortest possible time by nuclear power station
specialists". "All these incidents are being investigated in accordance with nuclear industry rules and
regulations," the FSAN spokesman noted. He also disclosed that "the radiation situation in the areas where
these nuclear power stations are located is normal and none of these nuclear power stations has breached limits on the
safe operation of power units".
[ITAR-TASS news agency] |
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