ID :
14381
Wed, 07/30/2008 - 13:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/14381
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State inspection permits reactor launch at Lithuanian N-plant.
VILNIUS, July 30 (Itar-Tass) - Lithuania's State Nuclear SafetyInspectorate /VATESI/ has issued permission to launch power unit No. 2 at the Ignalina nuclear plant, the only power unit still in operation there.
A report by VATESI said the unit will be launched July 30.
The plant's automatic alarm system shut it in an emergence mode on thenight from July 28 to July 29.
"Its equipment was not damaged and there was no leakage of radioactivematerials,' VATESI said.
One of the turbines of the power unit will be launched for four tofive days July 30.
The authorities planned to lay up the power unit for two-months-long scheduled repairs at the beginning of August. Its first turbine was to goout of operation July 29 and the second, August 2.
"The current technical accident was caused by human factor," said theplant's technical director, Gennady Negrivoda.
In the process of switching the turbine off, an operator loaded incorrect parameters into the alarm system, which automatically shut thesecond turbine, too, thus bringing the entire power unit out of action.
After that, the national energy system urgently activated the country' s own reserve energy facilities and requested additional amounts of electricity from foreign suppliers. The electricity was transmitted fromRussia.
Following the scheduled repairs, the power unit will be launchedSeptember 30 and will reach the full output October 5.
Scheduled repairs are held once a year, and this year's repair will likely be the last one in the plant's history. While joining the EuropeanUnion, Lithuania pledged to close it down by the end of 2009.
The plant is located in the town of Visaginas /formerly called Sneckus/ in Luithuania's extreme northeast, close to the borders withLatvia and Belarus.
It has two RMBK-1500 water-cooled channel-type nuclear reactors, the most powerful type in the history of the global nuclear industry. Only onereactor is in operation at present.
Named after a bigger town of Ignalina located nearby, the plant went into full-scale operation in 1984. Even after the closure of power unitNo. 1, it meets 70% of Lithuania's demand for electricity.
The EU demands the complete closure of the facility, claiming it does not have a robust containment structure Lithuania and France are the two European countries with the biggestshare of dependence on the electric power produced by nuclear plants.
A report by VATESI said the unit will be launched July 30.
The plant's automatic alarm system shut it in an emergence mode on thenight from July 28 to July 29.
"Its equipment was not damaged and there was no leakage of radioactivematerials,' VATESI said.
One of the turbines of the power unit will be launched for four tofive days July 30.
The authorities planned to lay up the power unit for two-months-long scheduled repairs at the beginning of August. Its first turbine was to goout of operation July 29 and the second, August 2.
"The current technical accident was caused by human factor," said theplant's technical director, Gennady Negrivoda.
In the process of switching the turbine off, an operator loaded incorrect parameters into the alarm system, which automatically shut thesecond turbine, too, thus bringing the entire power unit out of action.
After that, the national energy system urgently activated the country' s own reserve energy facilities and requested additional amounts of electricity from foreign suppliers. The electricity was transmitted fromRussia.
Following the scheduled repairs, the power unit will be launchedSeptember 30 and will reach the full output October 5.
Scheduled repairs are held once a year, and this year's repair will likely be the last one in the plant's history. While joining the EuropeanUnion, Lithuania pledged to close it down by the end of 2009.
The plant is located in the town of Visaginas /formerly called Sneckus/ in Luithuania's extreme northeast, close to the borders withLatvia and Belarus.
It has two RMBK-1500 water-cooled channel-type nuclear reactors, the most powerful type in the history of the global nuclear industry. Only onereactor is in operation at present.
Named after a bigger town of Ignalina located nearby, the plant went into full-scale operation in 1984. Even after the closure of power unitNo. 1, it meets 70% of Lithuania's demand for electricity.
The EU demands the complete closure of the facility, claiming it does not have a robust containment structure Lithuania and France are the two European countries with the biggestshare of dependence on the electric power produced by nuclear plants.
