News
Publish date: February 20, 1998
Written by: Igor Kudrik
News
According to the statement released by Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the incident occurred at 01:44 Moscow time on February 20 (10:44 G.M.T., February 19). The first reactor unit shut down as the protection system of the second turbine generator was activated automatically. The reason to the incident were flaws in the energy supply to the reactor installation.
Kursk NPP is operating four RBMK-1000 reactors. The two oldest reactors are to be taken out of operation by 2006 and 2008. The fifth unit of RBMK-type reactor is under construction, some 70% of completion.
On January 14 this year, reactor unit no.2 of Kursk NPP shut down automatically due to the leaks in the compressed air system. Similar incident on the reactor unit no.2 occurred in the beginning of September 1997.
The first reactor unit of Kursk NPP has undergone safety upgrade, the upgrade works on the second unit are still underway.
The completion of the fifth RBMK reactor unit at Kursk is a matter of time. Rosenergoatom Concern stated this year that the investment emphasis in 1998 will rest on Kursk and Rostov NPPs.
Throughout the past year, our mission at the Bellona Environmental Transparency Center has focused on two key, but intertwined issues—nuclear and radiation safety as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine drags on, and the worldwide influence of Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, which itself is actively involved in the war and has participated in the occupation of a Ukrainian nuclear power plant.
At the beginning of the year, reports in the German and Russian press suggested an approximate 70% increase in uranium imports from Russia to Germany in 2024. But does this reflect broader European trends? It does not. Overall, imports of uranium and nuclear fuel from Russia to Western countries actually dropped sharply in 2024. Unlike the situation in Germany, this is already an established trend.
A Lingen, Germany plant could begin producing nuclear fuel in cooperation with a subsidiary of Rosatom, Russia's state nuclear corporation, which is directly involved in the war in Ukraine and occupying the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution and climate change.