News

Short-circuit failure at Smolensk NPP

Publish date: December 20, 2005

On December 19, at 16:41 local time, a transformer of the 330 kW general switchboard at the Smolensk NPP suffered a short-circuit failure.

The incident reportedly did not influence the reactors’ operation and safety at the plant.


There was no explosion or fire ”just a flash and that’s all!” Regnum reported with the reference to the press-department of the Smolensk NPP. The switchboard is situated 300m from the reactor unit.


Smolensk NPP has three RBMK-1000 (”Chernobyl” type) reactors in operation at the moment with the total load of 2940 MW. The radiation levels are reported to be normal. The Smolensk NPP is situated 350 km west from Moscow. It was originally planned to construct four reactor units, but after the Chernobyl explosion the last reactor unit was not completed.