A Nuclear Light Goes Out

[lovuian]

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=35518

BELGRADE, Nov 17 (IPS) - Two reactors at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant in Bulgaria that are considered dangerous will shut down Dec. 31. And just in time, as Bulgaria joins the European Union the next day, together with neighbour Romania.

One of the preconditions for Bulgaria's full membership in the family of European nations was the closure of Kozloduy, one of the most controversial installations of the kind.

Situated some 200 km north of capital Sofia, on the banks of the Danube River and near the border with Romania, Kozloduy once had six nuclear Soviet-built reactors. It provided both Bulgaria and its neighbours with cheap electricity.
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Diplomacy can work

[Beelzebud]

1. Good. If I remember correctly, those reactors were the same design as Chernobyl.

[spoony]

3. Almost

They are Russian VVER-440 V230 Pressurized Water Reactors, whereas Chernobyl was an RBMK. The VVERs in place at Kozloduy actually have pretty good design in some ways, with more cooling loops of greater capacity than western plants. Unfortunately, this is all negated by the lack of good emergency cooling and hydrogen mitigation. Plus the things are about to fall apart because they lack any sort of steel cladding.

[AndyTiedye]

2. Better They Shut It Down Than Have It

:nuke:

[MadHound]

4. Good to hear, those are some pretty shitty designs

Now, hopefully they will clean up the site right, and dispose of the waste and fuel correctly. Somehow I doubt it though:scared:

[lonestarnot]

5. Yes diplomacy can work.