http://www.boston.com/dailynews/042/region/Millstone_2_nuclear_plant_shut:.shtml

Millstone 2 nuclear plant shut down

By Associated Press, 2/11/2000 16:39

WATERFORD, Conn. (AP) The Millstone Two nuclear power plant was shut down Friday after two control rods slipped out of position and fell into the core of the nuclear reactor.

No one was injured, and the incident at about 1:45 p.m. caused no release of radiation to the public, plant spokeswoman Sandra Bazinet said.

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was monitoring the plant. An agency spokesman said a similar problem involving one of the same rods shut the plant down in September.

''It's not a common occurrence, but it does happen,'' said NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan.

The control rods are part of a bundle of 73 rods that are suspended over the core. The rods are used to control and stop a nuclear reaction.

Usually, the whole bundle of rods is released into the core together.

While workers were performing routine tests of the rods, where the rods are moved slightly in and out, one rod slipped out of position and fell into the core, Bazinet said.

Workers immediately reduced the plant's power output and were investigating what caused the rod to slip when another rod fell.

Then, the workers immediately shut the plant down manually, Bazinet said, and all the rods were moved into the core.

''At that point, two rods are going to have an effect on how power is generated. The safest thing is to shut down the plant and see what's happening,'' she said.

After the shutdown, the plant maintained normal temperature and pressure.

The plant will remain shut down until the cause of the incident is determined. The incident had nothing to do with the cause for the shutdown of the plant in late January, Bazinet said.

In that incident, the plant was idled after the system that supplies water to generate electricity in the plant malfunctioned.

In September, one rod fell into the core of Millstone 2. The plant was shut down and the problem was fixed, Bazinet said.

Sheehan said the September incident was caused by a wire that had worn through. The wire was repaired, but one of the rods that fell Friday was the same rod that fell in September.

Sheehan said the plant needed to be shut down because having two rods in the core could cause an imbalanced reaction.

''Everything seems to have worked as it was supposed to once they began to shut it down,'' he said.

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), February 11, 2000

Answers

"It's not a common occurrence, but it does happen," said NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan.

I beg your Pardon Mosouire!!

1) http://www.bashar.com/GSP/nukeaccidents.htm

2) http://www.bashar.com/GSP/chernobyl3.htm

3) http://www.nhk.or.jp/forum/e/a-energy/chap2-3/chap2-31.htm

4) http://www.tmia.com/EDGs.html

5) http://www.bashar.com/GSP/goodbad.htm

6) http://www.bashar.com/GSP/ucs-lochbaum.htm

7) http://www.tmia.com/safety.htm#equip

8) http://www.tmia.com/

Better save these URLs, read 'em...and get a clear picture of what we are really talking about here. And if you want to see "pictures", then visit "Houston....we have a problem" and scroll down the page.

Maybe we should re-consider "Industrial Hemp"....huh?

-- steve (WhoCares@nymore.Right?com), February 12, 2000.