
Russia Targets Bellona Vilnius Staffer with ‘Prosecution by Red Tape’
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Publish date: May 14, 1999
Written by: Thomas Nilsen
News
According to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, no radioactivity was released when a malfunctioning turbogenerator forced an emergency shutdown at Novovoronezh Nuclear Power plant on May 12th.
The affected reactor was back on grid the following day, although only able to operate at half capacity. An investigation of the failure began late Wednesday afternoon.
Novovoronezh nuclear power plant operates three reactors, among them the oldest VVER reactor in Russia. It was first fired up in 1971. The May 12th emergency shut down was not Novovoronezh’s first. Four incidents labelled "safety significant" by power authorities have occurred in a decade of trouble for Novovoronezh’s reactors Number 3 and 4; both of the old VVER 440-230 type. Seven separate events, considered "safety relevant" by the International Atomic Energy Agency, further taint the plant’s safety record.
Both European Union and the U.S. have provided technical assistance to Novovoronezh Nuclear Power Plant to help with safety: technical training for employees and technical up-grades for reactors. The EU has given the plant 3,5 million from the TACIS-program, while 55 million has come from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for improvements to the VVER-440 reactors at Novovoronezh and Kola nuclear power plants.
Other incidents at Novovoronezh NPP:
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