61. The 1986 Nuclear Disaster At Chernobyl History is full of disasters in the nuclear industry, from uranium mines (RumJungle in Australia), to processing (Port Pirie in SA, Windscale/Sellafield in http://www.ccsa.asn.au/nic/NucHazards/Chernobyl.htm

The 1986 Nuclear Disaster at Chernobyl September 1999 At 6:30 am Adelaide time, April 26 1986, in 4 seconds the power output from Unit 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant increased 100 times and the reactor exploded. The explosion blew the top off the reactor. Hot radioactive metal was flung into the air, the reactor caught fire, radioactive smoke and steam spewed out. The radioactive fallout was 200 times that caused by the weapons exploded at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The fuel was the same, uranium. The release of radioactive material lasted for 10 days. It blew over Ukraine, Byelorussia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Scotland, England, Germany, Greece, and Switzerland. Altogether, 9 million people were affected by the radioactive fallout from the nuclear disaster. People in the path of the fallout were not warned. Children in the town of Pripyat, 3 km from Chernobyl, were having outdoor gymnastic classes. Pripyat was not evacuated for 60 hours and areas within a 30 km radius weren't evacuated for a week or more later. Altogether some 400 thousand people were forced to leave their homes.

62. Activity Name: Potential Disasters In The Need For Energy Research background of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster; Determine the differencebetween Research the Chenobyl disaster and other nuclear accidents. http://www.ateec.org/curric/themes/envdis/chernobyl.html

Environmental Disaster Menu 5 Teaching Resources Menu ATEEC Homepage Goals to build students' knowledge and skills about releases of polluting materials into the environment to apply knowledge and skill in the community context. Activity Objectives Chernobyl Reactor Disaster Research background of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster Determine the difference between propaganda and scientific data Participate in the role play of a nuclear disaster case study Defend a particular viewpoint with data in this role play experience Motivational Introduction: The energy to function can be controlled for use and benefit or uncontrolled and destructive. Some examples of uncontrolled energy would be a forest fire, an explosion, or a nuclear bomb. Many disasters are associated with energy use - refinery fires and explosions, hydroelectric dams can fail and flood areas, coal fired steam generated electric plants can have fires, oil burning plants can have spills. However, the most misunderstood and feared energy source is nuclear power. While there have been mishaps such Three Mile Island, nothing compares with the disaster at Chernobyl in Russia. Approximate Time to Complete Activity: 5 class periods.

63. Famous Technological Disasters | EThemes | EMINTS Learn about the nuclear disaster known as Three Mile Island. Explore links onthis page to find out how a nuclear reactor works, what caused the accident in http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001563.shtml

About eMINTS Communities Equipment eThemes ... eThemes Famous Technological Disasters Contact eThemes@emints.org if you have questions or comments about this resource. Printer-friendly version Please preview all links before sharing in class with students. Title: Famous Technological Disasters Description: Learn about technological disasters that had happened all over the world. Find out how human errors were involved in many tragedies. Read about the ocean liner Titanic, dirigible Hindenburg, space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, tragic accidents in nuclear plants, and much more. Learn about past worries of the Millennium Bug problem and current fears of human cloning. There are links to eThemes resources on the Titanic and Chernobyl disaster. Includes searchable databases of technological disasters, images, video and audio files. Grade Level: Resource Links: Disasters List Here is an online searchable database where students can choose different countries, years, and types of the disasters to view statistical data. Explore sub-links under the "Search Disasters" link on the left to view maps and technological disasters break down. ThinkQuest: Industrial Disasters Read short descriptions about five of the world's most infamous disasters.

64. World Disasters Series - Links To Web Sites Used In Books Page 32 Chernobyl nuclear Disaster. Chernobyl A nuclear Disaster; ChernobylAccident Links Chernobyl Disaster Chernobyl Today http://www.readyed.com.au/urls/disaster3.html

Book 3 - Man-made Disasters Click the links below to access the latest sites. PLEASE NOTE: The addresses may differ from the ones shown in the book. Page 8 - The Challenger Disaster Challenger Accident Links Challenger Disaster - 10 years On *Flight STS 51-L Challenger Page 10 - Airships History of Zeppelins Page 12 - The Hindenburg Tragedy Hindenburg.net Hindenburg Photos Page 14 - Air Disasters Airdisaster.com Lockerbie Disaster TWA Flight 800 Page 33 - The Maccabiah Bridge Collapse Disaster Controversy and Sports International Games Report This site is currently being revised and will hopefully be back soon! Page 20 - The Titanic Titanic Links A Tribute to the RMS Titanic Survivors' Stories A Tour Of The RMS Titanic ... The Official Titanic Movie Site Page 28 - Oil Spills *Bioremediation *Oil Spills Page 30 - Bhopal - A Chemical Accident *Bhopal Disaster Information Bhopal Links Page 32 - Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Chernobyl: A Nuclear Disaster Chernobyl Accident Links Chernobyl Disaster Chernobyl Today To notify us of links which don't work, type to Jane at e-mail address: fixlink@readyed.com.au - Subject: Disasters Link fixlink@readyed.com.au

65. Natural Disasters In Georgia -- DROUGHT nuclear Emergency. Make Selection , Disaster Main Page, Disaster Preparation,Disaster Recovery, Drought, Fire, Freeze Ice Storms http://interests.caes.uga.edu/disaster/nuclear/articles.htm

Main Page Articles A special information site from The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Make Selection Disaster Main Page Disaster Preparation Disaster Recovery Drought Fire ARTICLES General Fallout Shelters Livestock Protection Effects of Radiation on Agriculture ... Decontamination General Effects of a Nuclear Explosion Warning Signals Rural Fire Defense Treating Radiation Sickness Fallout Shelters Supplies for Home Shelter Area Combined Family/Livestock Fallout Shelter Improvising Fallout Protection for Your Family Shelter Management Livestock Protection General Procedures for Protecting Livestock and Poultry from Fallout Protecting Beef Cattle from Fallout Protecting Dairy Cattle from Fallout Protecting Sheep from Fallout ... Last-Minute Fallout Protection for Livestock Effects of Radiation on Agriculture Effects of Radioactive Fallout on Milk Products Radiation Effects on Pasture and Forage Plants Radiation Damage to Livestock Productivity of Surviving Livestock ... Possible Effects of Nuclear Power Reactor Accidents on Agriculture Decontamination Food Supplies Decontamination Water Decontamination Soils Natural Disasters Home ... UGA Home College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

66. TEPCO : Sustainability Report | Preventing Nuclear Power Disasters Meanwhile, the Special Law for nuclear Disaster Prevention was enacted after theJCO criticality The New System of nuclear Power Disaster Prevention http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/env-com/environment/report/addendum/social/supply/sir-

Introduction Special Feature Environment Economy ... Report Site map Preventing nuclear power disasters In nuclear power stations, we take every possible measure with a view to safety, from design and construction to operational maintenance, to prevent the occurrence of accidents that could inconvenience local residents. Nevertheless, on the hypothesis that, in spite of all this, a nuclear disaster will occur and impact the surrounding area, we have drawn up disaster prevention plans specifying required activities in the event of an emergency. These include communicating with related organizations, assessing situations, and measures to prevent the accident from spreading, enabling us to take the initiative in preventing the spread of accidents. At the same time, we hold regular training and drills to ensure that these activities can be executed quickly and accurately. Meanwhile, the Special Law for Nuclear Disaster Prevention was enacted after the JCO criticality accident that occurred in Tokaimura, Ibaraki Prefecture in September 1999. As a result, the government and local authorities set up Offsite Centers (*) in 21 locations near nuclear power facilities all over the country by March 2002. To strengthen functional links between power stations and these Offsite Centers, TEPCO has built dedicated communication circuits between them, as well as installing security telephones and TV conference systems in the Offsite Centers. Moreover, as a member of the Nuclear Safety Network (NS Net), TEPCO is also taking a positive part in that organization's efforts aimed at "creating a safety culture to be shared throughout the nuclear power industry".

67. Section 1.Response To Disasters (various disaster prevention exercises, response to nuclear accidents, etc . etc. include earthquake disaster prevention dispatches, nuclear disaster http://www.jda.go.jp/e/pab/wp2002/0401.htm

Chapter IV Response to Disasters and Contribution to Building a More Stable Security Environment - Expanding the Sphere of SDF Activities In and Outside Japan - Section 1. Response to Disasters This section explains the Self-Defense Forces' (SDF) response to disasters along the lines of disaster relief dispatch, implementation of disaster relief dispatch (following volcanic activity on Miyakejima, in regard to the Ehime Maru, etc.), and efforts under normal circumstances for disaster relief (various disaster prevention exercises, response to nuclear accidents, etc.). 1. Framework for Disaster Relief Dispatch, Etc. @The forms of a disaster relief dispatch, etc. include earthquake disaster prevention dispatches, nuclear disaster dispatches and disaster relief dispatches. An SDF disaster relief dispatch is implemented in the following way. 2. Implementation of Disaster Relief Dispatch, Etc. Response to Disaster (disaster relief dispatches occurred following volcanic activity on Miyakejima and the submergence incident of the Ehime Maru, the Uwajima Fisheries High School training vessel) Gathering of Information on Earthquakes On the occurrence of an earthquake with an intensity of five minor or more on Japan's seven-stage seismic scale, the Defense Agency will dispatch aircraft and other vehicles to collect information.

68. Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Page Chernobyl nuclear disaster information and pictures. http://members.tripod.com/~Chernobyl486/

setAdGroup('67.18.104.18'); var cm_role = "live" var cm_host = "tripod.lycos.com" var cm_taxid = "/memberembedded" Search: Lycos Tripod Aeon Flux Share This Page Report Abuse Edit your Site ... Sponsorship Information CHERNOBYL DISASTER PAGE Introduction Many questions were formed in the minds of many people across eastern Europe as radiation levels rose mysteriously across the continent. From country to country unusually high radiation levels were being read. Although the radiation levels were not yet harmful in most places, it was feared the levels would keep rising with the origin of the radiation still unknown. By studying wind and weather patterns scientists were able to pinpoint from where all of this radiation was coming. The place was the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. A nuclear meltdown had occurred. This great disaster occurred on April 26, 1986 in the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl. Chernobyl is located 128 km northwest of Kiev that is in the Ukraine, part of the Soviet Union. "PICTURES" The cause of the disaster was a malfunction within the plant that caused the radioactive core to become exposed. This caused a particle meltdown that let off large amounts of radioactive material. Many of the details of the accident are still unknown. Some people believed the accident was caused because the operators were over confident in their decision making. Others said that there was a flaw in the design of the reactor and others blamed the accident on the safety systems. Further investigation showed that all three factors were involved.

69. Chernobyl - Tschernobyl - Information communication and networking platform, provided by Switzerland and the UnitedNations, on the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster. http://www.chernobyl.com/

Deutsch Sitemap Contact The international communications platform on the longterm consequences of the Chernobyl disaster Home Facts Projects Organisations ... Sitemap Subscribe to Newsletter To subscribe to the Newsletter, click here Provided by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC Chernobyl Projects Partners OCHA Credits Sources PROJECT OF MONTH: International Computer Camp in “Novocamp” On August 6-23, 2005, the II International Computer Camp was taking place on the basis of "Novocamp" summer camp and within the framework of the project "Information and Communication Technologies for Development in Chernobyl Contaminated Areas". Children from Bryansk region (Russia), Gomel region (Belarus), Chernigov and Kiev regions (Ukraine), who were actively working in their computer clubs at home, participated in the camp. The International computer summer camp is supported by the Swiss Government with the assistance of NGOs from the three countries. more NEWS: 6.9.2005: Controversial report about the "true consequences" of Chernobyl

70. Surviving A Nuclear Disaster The bad news is that we must again consider how to protect ourselves from anuclear disaster. The good news is that we can probably worry less about blast http://www.survival-center.com/nuclear/

Current Best Sellers From Captain Dave's Survival Shop Best buy! Israeli Youth Gas Mask, only $79.95 Buy Potassium Iodate Pills for protection from Fallout $29.95 Buy the Tecnopro gas mask our best for only $129.95 Buy an Exstream Sungari Water Purifier for only $69.95 Buy a Case of MREs - 12 meals - for only $65.95 Visit Captain Dave's ... [Finished Shopping - Checkout] The Nuclear Threat Nuclear Dangers Fallout Shelter Shelter Plans Read Nuclear War Survival Skills by Cresson Keary ... What to do if Nuclear War breaks out Before the Berlin Wall fell, before the Soviet Union imploded, we feared mutually assured destruction. From the 1950s until some 40 years later, the threat of nuclear war loomed large, inspiring nightmares among children and adults alike. In fact, for years, being a survivalist implied having a bomb shelter. But with the fall of communism, that all changed. The United States was the only superpower, and the threat of nuclear war diminished. But the threat of a nuclear attack or accident did not.

71. World Nuclear Association | Information And Issue Briefs | Chernobyl Accident The April 1986 disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine wasthe product of a flawed Soviet reactor design coupled with serious mistakes http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/inf07.htm

News About the WNA WNA Charter Nuclear Portal ... General/Sundry Chernobyl Accident September 2005 Printer friendly version is also available The Chernobyl accident in 1986 was the result of a flawed reactor design that was operated with inadequately trained personnel and without proper regard for safety. The resulting steam explosion and fire released at least five percent of the radioactive reactor core into the atmosphere and downwind. 28 people died within four months from radiation or thermal burns, 19 have subsequently died, and there have been around nine deaths from thyroid cancer apparently due to the accident: total 56 fatalities as of 2004. An authoritative UN report in 2000 concluded that there is no scientific evidence of any significant radiation-related health effects to most people exposed. This was confirmed in a very thorough 2005 study. The April 1986 disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine was the product of a flawed Soviet reactor design coupled with serious mistakes made by the plant operators in the context of a system where training was minimal. It was a direct consequence of Cold War isolation and the resulting lack of any safety culture. NB: "Chernobyl" is the well-known Russian name for the site; "Chornobyl" is preferred by Ukraine.

72. CNN - Essay: Memories Of A Nuclear Disaster - March 30, 1999 Essay Memories of a nuclear disaster. March 30, 1999 Web posted at 248 pmEST (1948 GMT). By Correspondent Natalie Pawelski http://www.cnn.com/NATURE/9903/30/tmi.essay/

MAIN PAGE WORLD ASIANOW U.S. ... news quiz CNN WEB SITES: TIME INC. SITES: Go To ... Time.com People Money Fortune EW MORE SERVICES: video on demand video archive audio on demand news email services ... pagenet DISCUSSION: message boards chat feedback SITE GUIDES: help contents search FASTER ACCESS: europe japan WEB SERVICES: Essay: Memories of a nuclear disaster March 30, 1999 Web posted at: 2:48 p.m. EST (1948 GMT) By Correspondent Natalie Pawelski EDITOR'S NOTE: Twenty years ago, Three Mile Island was in the middle of the worst accident in the history of American nuclear power. CNN's Natalie Pawelski was a ninth-grader living about 12 miles away. Today, she covers environmental issues for CNN, and the experiences of 20 years ago still resonate. Pawelski RELATED VIDEO CNN's Natalie Pawelski reports on how living near the Three Mile Island nuclear plant influenced her life and career Real Windows Media HAMPDEN TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (CNN) In the wake of floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes, we've gotten used to stories about how natural disasters draw communities together. Unnatural disasters like Bhopal, Love Canal, or the Exxon Valdez are different. They seem to drive people apart.

73. Nuclear And Chemical Accidents This was the worst accident in US nuclearreactor history Four people diedin worst radiation disaster in Western Hemisphere. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001457.html

in All Infoplease Almanacs Biographies Dictionary Encyclopedia Daily Almanac for Sep 24, 2005 Skip Navigation Home Almanacs ... Word of the Day Editor's Favorites Hispanic Heritage Month Hurricane Katrina Daylight Saving Time Ramadan ... Texas Infoplease Tools Periodic Table Conversion Tool Perpetual Calendar Year by Year ... Site Map College Center Scholarship Search College Resources Career Center Job Search Post Your Resume Continuing Ed. more . . . Search: Infoplease Info search tips Search: Biographies Bio search tips World Disasters Nuclear and Chemical Accidents Dec. 12, Chalk River, nr. Ottawa, Canada: a partial meltdown of the reactor's uranium fuel core resulted after the accidental removal of four control rods. Although millions of gallons of radioactive water accumulated inside the reactor, there were no injuries. Love Canal, nr. Niagara Falls, N.Y.: was destroyed by waste from chemical plants. By the 1990s, the town had been cleaned up enough for families to begin moving back to the area. Oct. 7, Windscale Pile No. 1, north of Liverpool, England: fire in a graphite-cooled reactor spewed radiation over the countryside, contaminating a 200-square-mile area.

74. List Of Nuclear Accidents - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia December 12, 1952 – The first serious nuclear disaster occurred at the NRX reactorin Chalk River, Canada. A massive power excursion destroyed the core, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_accident

List of nuclear accidents From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (Redirected from Nuclear accident Pathways from airborne radioactive contamination to man This article covers notable accidents involving nuclear material. In some cases, these incidents involve people being injured or killed due to the release of radioactive contamination . Most incidents involve accidental releases that have caused contamination, but had no other immediate effects. Due to government and business secrecy , it is difficult to determine with certainty the extent of some events listed below. An accidental detonation of a nuclear weapon has never happened. For an implosion assembly weapon this risk is lower, because it would require the precisely synchronized simultaneous detonation of its numerous explosive lenses. For a gun-assembly weapon the risk is higher. Contents Civilian nuclear accidents Military nuclear accidents See also External links ... edit Civilian nuclear accidents Main article: List of civilian nuclear accidents edit Military nuclear accidents Main article: List of military nuclear accidents edit See also 5 yen coin International Nuclear Events Scale List of disasters List of nuclear reactors - a comprehensive annotated list of the world's nuclear reactors Radiation United States military nuclear incident terminology edit External links Nuclearfiles.org "comprehensive collection of data concerning minor and major nuclear accidents"

75. Chernobyl Accident - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia On the other hand, Anatoly Dyatlov, chief engineer on Chernobyl nuclear station at One can argue that while the Chernobyl accident was a local disaster, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_accident

Chernobyl accident From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The nuclear power plant at Chernobyl prior to the completion of the sarcophagus. The Chernobyl accident occurred on April 26 , at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine (then part of the Soviet Union ). It is regarded as the worst nuclear accident in the history of nuclear power , producing a plume of radioactive debris that drifted over parts of the western Soviet Union Eastern Europe Scandinavia UK , and eastern USA . Large areas of Ukraine Belarus , and Russia were badly contaminated, resulting in the evacuation and resettlement of roughly 200,000 people. About 60% of radioactive fallout landed in Belarus. The accident raised concerns about the safety of the Soviet nuclear power industry, slowing its expansion for a number of years, while forcing the Soviet government to become less secretive. The now-separate countries of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus have been burdened with continuing and substantial costs for decontamination and health care because of the Chernobyl accident. It is difficult to tally accurately the number of deaths caused by the events at Chernobyl, as most of the expected deaths are from cancer, have not yet actually occurred, and are difficult to attribute specifically to the accident. A 2005 UN report attributes 56 deaths until that point - 47 accident workers and 9 children with thyroid cancer - and estimates that around 4,000 people will ultimately die from accident-related illnesses. Greenpeace , amongst others, disputes the study's conclusions.

76. CBS News | Radioactive Heap To Be Moved | July 26, 2005 11:30:16 nuclear power is a main source of energy in the United States, but it is also aconcern for Find out if your state has a nuclear reactor and how many. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/07/26/tech/main711769.shtml

SEARCH: CBSNews.com The Web document.write('') Home U.S. World Politics ... CBS News Video ET The Early Show CBS Evening News 48 Hours 60 Minutes ... Section Front E-mail This Story Printable Version Radioactive Heap To Be Moved SALT LAKE CITY, July 26, 2005 The Colorado River flows through the Grand Canyon (AP) (AP) The Department of Energy plans to move a 12 million ton heap of radioactive waste away from the banks of the Colorado River, a major source of drinking water for about 25 million people, officials said Monday. The mound is just 750 feet from the river in southeastern Utah. Environmentalists have long feared its contaminants are leaching into the soil and could eventually poison the water supplies of Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix and other cities. "We have identified a solution that will help to ensure the environmental quality of the region for generations to come," Energy Department spokesman Mike Waldron said in announcing the plan Monday. The radioactive waste is to be moved mostly by rail starting in 2007 to a proposed holding site near Crescent Junction, Utah, about 30 miles from the Colorado River. The cleanup and move have been estimated to cost more than $300 million. The current site covers 130 acres near Moab and is the only decommissioned uranium mill overseen by the Energy Department that has yet to be cleaned up.

77. Nuclear Emergency Preparedness / Special Law Of Emergency Preparedness For Nucle nuclear business operators shall organize a nuclear disaster prevention (Notification duty of management personnel for nuclear disaster prevention) http://www.jnes.go.jp/bousaipage/english/an-3-10.htm

Special Law of Emergency Preparedness for Nuclear Disaster (Excerpt) (Law No. 156, December 17, 1999) (Purpose) Article 1. In view of the particularity of nuclear disaster this Law stipulates the responsibilities of nuclear business operators for nuclear disaster prevention and special measures such as the issue of the Notification of Activating Nuclear Emergency Organization, the establishment of a Nuclear Disaster Countermeasures Headquarters, the implementation of immediate emergency countermeasures, and other issues related to nuclear disasters; and tightens countermeasures against nuclear disasters in conjunction with the Law for the Regulations of Nuclear Source Material, Nuclear Fuel Material and Reactors (Law 57-166, hereinafter referred to as "LRNR"), the Basic Law on Disaster Countermeasures (Law 61-223), and other laws on the prevention of nuclear disasters, with the ultimate goal of protecting the life, body and property of national from hazard in the event of nuclear disasters. (Duties of nuclear business operators) Article 3.

78. Student Activities: Environmental Disaster Research background of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster; Determine the differencebetween propaganda and scientific data; Participate in the role play of a http://www.ateec.org/curric/themes/envdis/stu_act.html

Environmental Disaster Menu 5 Teaching Resources Menu ATEEC Homepage Student Activities: ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER "An Ecosystem is not more complicated than we think, it is more complicated than we can think." Jack Ward Thomas Multidisciplinary Activities: Environmental Disasters Goals to build students' knowledge and skills about releases of polluting materials into the environment to apply knowledge and skill in the community context. Featured Activities: Response: Design an Ideal Emergency Response Plan to an Oil Spill in a Local Water Body Response: Determine the Effects of an Oil Spill on the Local Community and Environment Response: Find and Critique the Local Emergency Response Plan Activity Objectives A Review of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Research web to gain background Write summary Sources of Oil Pollution Research and work with oil spill data to develop a graph What's It "Oil" About Research most common components of crude oil Create a display of the chemical characteristics of the components Fill and Spill Apply math conversions Analyze volume of various oil containers/tankers Predict spill area resulting from tank failure "Oil" Shook Up Investigate properties of mousse* *gel-like substance which results from exposing oil to the elements The Oiling of America Investigate oil leaks in campus parking lots Extrapolate findings to auto oil releases in America Hazardous Materials Spill Response: Observation and Communication Skills Practice Simulate roles of hazardous materials technicians and incidence commanders in full-scale or table-top mockup of a spill site

79. Three Mile Island Disaster Nuclear Disaster Reactor Meltdown Research Three Mile Island Disaster at the Questia.com online library. http://www.questia.com/library/science-and-technology/three-mile-island-disaster

80. Nuclear Catastrophe Narrowly Averted In Russia Last Week nuclear Disaster Averted Russian power plant workers praised for heroic operationto cool reactors. by Amelia Gentleman in Moscow http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/091700-02.htm

Published on Sunday, September 17, 2000 in the Observer of London Nuclear Disaster Averted Russian power plant workers praised for 'heroic' operation to cool reactors by Amelia Gentleman in Moscow A nuclear catastrophe - triggered by a fault in Russia's ageing electrical grid - was averted last week thanks to a 'heroic' emergency operation by power station workers. Details of how one of Russia's main nuclear plants and the country's largest plutonium-processing centre came close to disaster emerged slowly, prompting new alarm in a country still reeling from a string of disasters. Nuclear experts said 'courageous' workers at the Beloyarsk power station and the Mayak reprocessing plant had managed to prevent a Chernobyl-style accident. Environmental campaigners warned that the crumbling state of Russia's infrastructure meant such close escapes could be expected with growing frequency. Preliminary investigations showed that a short circuit in the regional electricity system caused a sudden blackout in three nuclear reactors in the Urals. Its cause remains unclear, although it has been widely attributed to a fault in the poorly maintained network. Unexpected power cuts at nuclear plants, which are designed to work ceaselessly, pose a severe risk. There was controversy yesterday over whether built-in emergency electricity systems took over as they should have done. Minatom, Russia's Ministry of Atomic Energy, insisted that all back-up systems at both sites began working in the seconds after the accident, but environmental activists reported that the standby electricity generators of at least one of the reactors had failed to start.

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