News
Publish date: July 14, 1998
Written by: Igor Kudrik
News
According to a GAN official, no violations of safety regulations for handling spent fuel have been documented in 1997 or the first half of 1998. On the other hand, the official admitted that the situation with handling of spent nuclear fuel is not improving. On the contrary, in some instances, the conditions are "close to critical."
Russia has nine operating power-producing power stations with a total of 29 reactors. Three nuclear power plants – Kursk, Leningrad and Smolensk – operate on 11 RBMK-type reactors. Fuel from those reactors is now stored in on-site facilities at the plants. Stores are almost full, as this type of fuel cannot be reprocessed in Russia. The VVER-type fuel is not shipped regularly to Mayak for reprocessing either, due to both financial and technical constraints.
The situation is most acute, according to GAN, at Beloyarsk NPP. At that location, no decision has been taken on handling the spent fuel from two closed reactor installations. Beloyarsk NPP is currently operating one BN-600 reactor, after shutting down one AMB-100 and one AMB-200.
GAN silences at least two incidents
Having stated that there were no incidents involving nuclear fuel in 1997/1998, GAN has failed to mention at least two incidents occurred in 1997.
On March 4, 1997, an incident took place at the store for spent nuclear fuel of Leningrad NPP. One of the absorber rods stuck in a container caused troubles during reloading operation.
In the end of July, an incident occurred at the Dimitrovgrad Research Institute for Atomic Reactors. Discharge levels 18-fold above the norm lasted for a week. Cracks in the nuclear fuel cladding caused the incident, which led to heavy contamination of the water in the primary circuit. As a result, radioactive gases gushed through the ventilation system into the environment.
Recent attacks on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant "mark the beginning of a new and gravely dangerous front of the war," the UN atomic agency's director general said last week.
After years of inaction, Germany is working on its Carbon Management Strategy to resolve how CCS can play a role in climate action in industry. At the end of February, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action published first key points and a proposal to amend the law Kohlenstoffdioxid Speicherungsgesetz (KSpG). Bellona Deutschland, who was actively involved in the previous stakeholder dialogue submitted a statement in the association hearing.
In the midst of a global discussion on whether natural gas should be used as a transitional fuel and whether emissions from its extraction, production, transport and use are significantly less than those from other fossil fuels, Russia has developed ambitious plans to increase its own production of liquified natural gas (LNG) in the Arctic – a region with 75% of proven gas reserves in Russia – to raise its share in the international gas trade.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our main focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution risks and climate change.