Unit 6 was in the guaranteed shutdown state and Spring Location and Relocation (SLAR) tool was being used in the pressure tubes as part of the planned fuel channel maintenance. While performing SLAR operation in fuel channel G12, an electrical fault in the tool resulted in a discharge of electric energy that caused damage to both the pressure tube and the calandria tube. The tool was retracted and it was later determined that the Primary Heat Transport System (PHTS) coolant was leaking into the moderator. Inspection exhibited a through hole in the pressure tube approximately 3 mm in diameter and a through hole in the calandria tube of 6 mm in diameter. Operations personnel proceeded with stabilization of unit 6 by installing isolating shield plugs to stop the flow of PHTS coolant into the moderator. The pressure tube and calandria tube have been replaced and the unit returned to service.
Behnam Raeesian is an internationally recognized visual artist and poster designer from Iran, known for bold political and cultural works. Through exhibitions, workshops, jury roles, and collaborations with cultural institutions worldwide, he has built a strong voice in contemporary political graphic design. His projects confront complex issues such as nuclear risk and technological impact, transforming […]
Everywhere you look, the nuclear industry’s hype machine is in overdrive. Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, and the UK government all tout small modular reactors as the silver bullet for climate change and energy security. Tech billionaires are hiring nuclear veterans. Wall Street is whispering about “round-the-clock power” for artificial intelligence data centers. For those old enough […]
Kernenergie en veiligheid: A wargame sought to test if a major radiological release that would prompt the evacuation of millions of civilians in South Korea could distract key US allies from assisting and rebuffing an all-out military invasion of Taiwan. The short answer was yes. The game originally presumed that China, wanting to keep the […]
Big batteries and EVs to the rescue again as faults with new nuclear plant cause chaos on Nordic grids The Finnish nuclear power plant Olkiluoto was finally connected to the grid last year, at an estimated cost of €11 billion compared to the original budget of €3 billion. That cost blowout forced its developer, the […]
A vast subsea nuclear graveyard planned to hold Britain’s burgeoning piles of radioactive waste is set to become the biggest, longest-lasting and most expensive infrastructure project ever undertaken in the UK. The project [UK's nuclear waste dump] is now predicted to take more than 150yrs to complete with lifetime costs of £66bn in today’s money...The […]
