May 20, 2000 - 03:41 PM

Turbo-Generator Switched Back on at Chernobyl

The Associated Press

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - Operators at Ukraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant on Saturday powered up a turbo-generator that malfunctioned and had to be switched off, officials said.

Chernobyl's electricity output was halved after problems in the turbo-generator were detected Monday. The device was fixed and put back online Saturday morning, a duty officer at Chernobyl said.

The Interfax news agency said Chernobyl, site of the world's worst nuclear accident in 1986, would generate only 80 percent of its normal electricity output until officials made sure that French-made safety valves installed last year were functioning properly.

The valves have been the cause of several malfunctions and shutdowns at Chernobyl, officials said.

The turbo-generator malfunction this week was surrounded by reports and rumors of a more serious accident, as well as of forest fires around the plant that were contaminated with radiation in the 1986 accident. Emergency officials and Chernobyl workers denied the reports.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGIX7ZINH8C.html

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), May 20, 2000