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Sweden forced to shut down nuclear reactor

Published: 6 Dec 12 15:51 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/44894/20121206/

A nuclear reactor in southern Sweden was forced to shut down on Thursday after officials found the plant had failed to meet safety requirements.

"We decided that Oskarshamn nuclear power plant (OKG) should take nuclear reactor O2 offline immediately," the Radiation Safety Authority (Strålsäkerhetsmyndigheten) said in a statement.

The plant operator has to put one of its diesel generators through a 48-hour test run, the statement read. There was no immediate danger, it added.

"The power supply to the reactors is extremely important. This was one of the main problems at Fukushima," safety inspection chief Leif Karlsson told the TT new agency.

"If you don't have this system running, you cannot add water to the reactor."

The operator will not be allowed to switch on the reactor again before doing the test run and also see to that a second generator undergoes a maintenance check.

There are a total of three reactors at the site, which was Sweden's first nuclear power plant when it opened in 1972.

The reactors supply about 10 percent of Sweden's total annual electricity consumption, according to the operator's website.

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18:11 December 6, 2012 by Hisingen
If all of Sweden's nuclear power stations were closed down, then the country would have to import from those coal-fired generating stations, since now, when it is -11°C and as near as dammit wind-still, all those expensive, subsidised wind-farms are standing still and not providing a single watt. That would no doubt make Greenpeace very happy - - - - - - -
19:12 December 6, 2012 by Trebla
The problem seems to be a diesel generator that works but but hasn't been "tested". Sounds like a massive over-reaction.
20:17 December 6, 2012 by ZwedishPzycho
While a bit of an over-reaction, I'd say bring the plant down, run the test, bring it back up. There are probably ways to run the tests without needing to shut down, but its always a good precaution. Everything in the nuclear world is done on the extreme safe side, so this really isn't that uncommon (trust me... I work in the field.)
16:11 December 8, 2012 by richardw
@hisIngen Are you worried about humans surviving on the planet or about fighting against Greenpeace? Which is more important?

@Trebla How do you know it works.

@ZwedishPzycho

The issue is that the power plant has not followed the proper testing so is not at all doing things on the extreme safe side. They have failed to do safety tests and you think that shows they are diligent?

They are shutting down because they are outside the safety guidelines for the most important safety issue for nuclear power plants which is the ability to survive loss of power.

They need to prove their backup generators work before they are allowed to operate.

So if this proves anything it proves that " (trust me... I work in the field.)" is reason to run for the hills cause you speak the opposite of the truth and misrepresent the situation whilst telling us everything is OK and you know your stuff.

Not exactly uncommon for pro nuclear apologists unfortunately.
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