South Ukraine :	|	Operating History	|	Technical Activities	|	Accomplishments	|

South Ukraine Operating History

A September 1992 event at the plant was classified as Level 2 on the International Nuclear Event Scale. The event was the result of defective core instrumentation and led to the failure of a steam isolation valve.

Derzhkomatom, Ukraine's utility organization, responded, noting that incidents were up because of stricter standards and that the reactors were being operated according to international standards. Derzhkomatom officials said there was no reason to change management at the plant.

In the spring of 1993, there were reports that deposits had collected in the plant's cooling pipes because local authorities had forbidden the plant to replace the water in the cooling system and the plant had no suitable filters. The plant was also said to be facing critical shortages of boric acid, chemical resins and chemicals needed for the water system. Repair materials were also reportedly in short supply.

In May 1993, Unit 3 at the plant was shut down following the detection of a hydrogen leak in the plant's turbine cooling system. Earlier in the month, a similar leak at Unit 5 of the Zaporizhzhya plant in Ukraine had resulted in an explosion and fire in which one worker was killed.

In April 1994, a defect in a steam generator's reactor protection system level controller was discovered on Unit 1 during a routine walkdown. The defect was corrected, but not within the time period stipulated by the technical specifications. The event was classified as Level 2 on the International Nuclear Event Scale. A month later, routine examination of the primary circuit's main gate valve components on Unit 1 revealed corrosion-induced deterioration of the gate valve main joint studs. The deterioration was caused by primary circuit leaks through the gland gasket of the main joint of the gate valves. The event was classified as Level 1 on the International Nuclear Event Scale.

Source: Source Book: Soviet-Designed Nuclear Power Plants in Russia, Ukrane, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Hungary, and Bulgaria, 4th edition. Nuclear Energy Institute. 1996. (online)

South Ukraine :	|	Operating History	|	Technical Activities	|	Accomplishments	|