Bulgaria: Cracks at nuclear reactor

Cracks were detected in components of a reactor at Bulgaria's Kozloduy nuclear plant during maintenance work. Local authorities claim there is no danger or any sort of risk to people and environment. Bulgaria: Cracks at nuclear reactor “These defects have not posed any threats to safety at the plant,” Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov said. An order for the rods' replacement had already been placed with their Russian maker, Gidropress, but repairing and restarting the reactor would take another three to four weeks, Traikov added. The 1,000-megawatt reactor, which was shut for planned refueling on September 18, was initially due to resume operations and be plugged back onto the country's electricity grid on October 18. After initial faults were found on September 28, the regulator ordered “extensive checks on all control rods,” which found more defects, bringing the total number of rods to be replaced to 31, Traikov explained. Bulgaria might cut as much as two-thirds of its daily exports of about 1,000 megawatts of electricity to neighboring Greece, Serbia and Macedonia, Traikov noted.

Bulgaria: Cracks at nuclear reactor

“These defects have not posed any threats to safety at the plant,” Economy and Energy Minister Traicho Traikov said.

An order for the rods' replacement had already been placed with their Russian maker, Gidropress, but repairing and restarting the reactor would take another three to four weeks, Traikov added.

The 1,000-megawatt reactor, which was shut for planned refueling on September 18, was initially due to resume operations and be plugged back onto the country's electricity grid on October 18.

After initial faults were found on September 28, the regulator ordered “extensive checks on all control rods,” which found more defects, bringing the total number of rods to be replaced to 31, Traikov explained.

Bulgaria might cut as much as two-thirds of its daily exports of about 1,000 megawatts of electricity to neighboring Greece, Serbia and Macedonia, Traikov noted.