10 Nuclear Events In 10 Days
We had 10 different nuclear events reported in just 10 days. Below is a list of them with date and short description.
BELGIUM
(1) August 8, 2012 – Doel 3 nuclear reactor, Doel Nuclear Power Station - Shutdown
Doel 3 nuclear reactor at Doel Nuclear Power Station in Belgium was shut down on August 8, 2012 under the suspicion that one of its components might be cracked. “We have found anomalies,” said Karina De Beule, spokesman for the ACFN, the federal agency for nuclear control.
Doel 3 reactor will be shutdown until at least the end of August, but it is possible that the reactor could be shut down for good.
The station is located in the most densely populated area of all nuclear power stations in Europe, with 9 million inhabitants within a radius of 75 kilometres (47 miles). Construction of this plant started in 1969 and commission started in 1975. More info here.
USA
(2) August 12, 2012 – Maryland, Calvert Cliffs – Shutdown
Operators of the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant in Southern Maryland have shut down one of the two reactors there because a control rod unexpectedly dropped into the reactor core, causing a reduction in power generation, a plant spokesman said Monday.
The 793-MW unit was shut after a leak was identified Aug. 12. Since July, the NRC has been monitoring a gradual increase of unidentified leakage at the reactor and sought safety assurances from Entergy on those leaks.
(3) August 12, 2012 - Connecticut, Millstone Power Station – Shutdown
Connecticut’s nuclear power plant shut one of two units on Sunday because seawater used to cool down the plant is too warm. More info here.
(4) August 12, 2012 - Michigan, Palisades – Shutdown
Palisades is shut down because of a leak of coolant from the control rods. It’s supposedly fixed now but the NRC is bringing in three more inspectors.
(5) August 14, 2012 - Minnesota, Prairie Island – Shutdown
One of the two nuclear generators at the Prairie Island plant was shut down because its emergency diesel generators suffered exhaust leaks.
(6) August 14, 2012 - Minnesota, Monticello – Shutdown
The Monticello nuclear plant’s single generating unit, which had been operating at 10 percent capacity since last weekend, was shut down because of a leaking pipe inside the plant’s concrete containment structure, the company said.
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