Beloyarsk nuclear plant accident

A defect has been spotted at the 5th power generator of the Beloyarsk nuclear plant. Consequently, the output of the power-generating unit No.3 was lowered by 33% today at 6:35 Moscow time. According to the press-service of Russia’s nuclear power ministry (Rosenergoatom) the radiation level at the scene stays the same, and “there is no threat to the plant’s safe operation.” A commission has been set up to identify the defect’s cause. Now, the generating unit’s output makes up 400MW – it is the only one currently operating at the plant, because 1st and 2nd units were decommissioned in 1983 and 1990 respectively. According to RIA Novosti, the unit, BN-600, is considered the world’s largest generating unit working on fast neutrons. The reactor is fuelled by a conventional uranium. Yet, there is another reactor, BN-800, in construction which will consume a uranium-plutonium mixture.