During full power operation, channel B of Reactor Regulating System and channel E of Reactor Protective System were reading less neutron power than other channels. To match with other channels, gain of ion chamber amplifiers of these channels was increased and also manual correction on protective channel E was done. Linear neutron trip set-points from primary shutdown system and secondary shutdown system were decreased. No problem could be found in ion chambers and their associated circuitry. On further investigation during reactor shutdown water was found in ion chamber housing, which caused the low neutron power signal in channel B & E (channel B and Channel E, both ion chambers are in same housing). Justification: Unplanned bulk increase in reactivity could have been the possible initiator. Since no initiator occurred, Table-1 has been used for rating. The safety function availability was full, so the event rating comes to 0. But due to possibility of common cause failure (water ingress into other ion chambers also) the event has been uprated by 1.
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 […]
Last year, the Dutch Province of Limburg started an alliance in which, besides the local government, research institutes, small nuclear reactor (SMR) developers, utilities, industrial customers and funders cooperated. With this "Limburg SMR alliance" Limburg tried to lead the way towards an SMR in Limburg. The preferred site for a first SMR would be Chemelot, […]
From the IPFM: During a visit to the Civaux nuclear power plant on 18 March 2024, France's Minister of the Armed Forces unveiled a plan to use the plant to produce tritium for the French nuclear weapons program. Civaux is a civilian power plant that belongs to and is operated by Electricité de France. According […]
An analysis by the Norwegian NGO Bellona of transborder trade operations with the customs code 840130 (irradiated fuel assemblies or fuel elements) show a more than twofold increase of import to EU countries of fresh nuclear fuel in cash terms – from 280 million Euros in 2022 to 686 million Euros in 2023. In physical […]