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I hate it, if antinuclear persons
spread nonsense in order to influence people in their attitude to nuclear
power, but I hate it even more, if people, who claim to be knowledgeable and
pronuclear, spread nonsense which is nothing better. The Kasachstan nuclear
power plant is for me such an occasion. The original message is very
difficult to understand. The only Kazachstan nuclear power plant I know of is
the BN 350. I have been involved in an IAEA task group, which dealt with the
plans to decommision this plant. The BN 350 was partly intended to desalinate sea
water, but of course also to produce electricity. In this area of Kazachstan oil
was found, so desalination can be performed with burning oil. The cheap supply
of oil has made it very unfavourable to maintain a nuclear power plant in this
area. Electrical energy would be needed in the eastern part of Kazachstan and
at the time I was involved with this question, plans were to probably build a
NPP in the eastern part. The BN 350 had been shut down many
years ago, following concerns about its safety. Much concern has to be
exercised as to the liquid sodium cooling loop, which cannot simply be shut
down, and how to keep the sodium liquid and how to remove the liquid sodium. The
fuel elements were leaking and therefore the liquid sodium is heavily
contaminated with Cs-137. The facility cannot simply been shut
down and left as it is. Bankruptcy seems to be sometimes a technical term in
order to get rid of former debts and is not connected to any radiation
protection or even nuclear technology question. Sandy, please comment!!!! Franz |